


Call me Baby

by likelikeLove



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, ChanBaek - Freeform, Comedy, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Minor Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-01-27 15:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 45,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21394159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likelikeLove/pseuds/likelikeLove
Summary: Chanyeol was having the worst week of his life! He’d been dumped by his boyfriend, fired from his favourite job and the lead singer of his rock band had quit. But it was the gorgeous stranger he found in his bed that would really turn his life upside down!
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 146
Kudos: 330





	1. Tuesday- Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Every Exo fic writer has a fic called ‘Call me baby’ right?! Well this is mine (´• ω •`) ♡  
It features a very cheeky Baekhyun and a thoroughly bewildered Chanyeol. As well as some convenient amnesia, a well-timed noraebang session, an array of couple shirts, Sehun’s very sexy knees, general housemate/bandmate antics, a shit ton of fluffy banter and some light angst. 
> 
> Main pairing= Chanbaek. Side pairings= Jongdae/Minseok and Jongin/Kyungsoo
> 
> This story takes place over 5 days. I was planning to release each day of the story as a chapter, but these kids lead such full lives and their days are so long >_< so I split each day into 2 parts. It will be 10 chapters long. 
> 
> Please comment! ♡ I just adore your feedback

Chanyeol let himself into the house, kicked off his shoes and went straight into his bedroom. He flopped face down on the bed, exhausted. He had stayed up too late the night before. Through his fatigue, the day at work had seemed to drag on endlessly, even though his shift was only 9-2 pm. He pressed his face into the soft duvet, too comfortable to bother getting under the covers. Maybe he’d just have a short nap.

Something solid moved under the duvet and brushed against his leg. He was pretty sure he’d imagined it or dreamt it even; he was right on the verge of sleep. He pressed his eyes shut and listened, but he couldn’t hear anything, it wasn’t like there could actually be anything there…in his bed.

It moved again. He was definitely awake now. He leapt back off the bed, managing at the last second to stifle a shout.

There was a person in his bed, actually _ in _ his bed. He could see them now, tucked up under the duvet apparently fast asleep.

He flapped his arms for a second, panicking a bit. Had someone broken into his house to sleep? Did that even happen? What should he do? Wake them up? Yell at them? What if they were a psychopath? He hesitated for another minute then he crept out of the room as quietly as possible. As soon as he had closed the door carefully behind him, he bolted down the hallway and into the living room.

His roommate Minseok and, Minseok’s boyfriend, Jongdae, were sitting on the couch watching TV when he ran into the room and skidded to a halt in from of them. He whispered emphatically, “There’s someone in my bed!!!” pointing with both arms out into the hallway in the direction of his bedroom for emphasis.

“Oh…you saw him, did you?” asked Jongdae, looking disappointed.

“Of course, I saw him! He’s in _ my _ bed. Wait…did you know about this? Who is that?!” exclaimed Chanyeol.

“You know, we’re not really sure,” admitted Jongdae slowly, turning to Minseok who was cringing at Chanyeol like he knew he was about to be yelled at.

“You’re not sure? What the hell do you mean you’re not sure?”

“Well we asked him, but he doesn’t remember his name.”

Chanyeol tried to make sense of this and failed, he screwed up his eyes and asked, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“He hit his head,” replied Jongdae succinctly as if this explained everything.

“Are you sure _ you _ didn’t hit _ your _ head?! I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Jongdae and Minseok exchanged looks. “I told you, you’d have to tell him sooner or later,” hissed Minseok.

“Tell me what?”

To Chanyeol’s increasing annoyance neither answered. Jongdae and Minseok exchanged yet another meaningful look.

“Tell me what, Jongdae?!”

Jongdae made soothing gestures with his hands. “Now don’t overact or anything, it’s not a big deal but…Minseok hit someone with your car.”

“Kim Jongdae!” ejected Minseok, smacking him hard on the arm.

“Alright, alright,” said Jongdae, fending Minseok off. “_ I _ hit someone with your car.”

Chanyeol could not believe what he was hearing.

“Not a _ big deal _ ? How is that not a _ big deal _?” he exclaimed.

“Because he’s fine.”

“You just said he hit his head and can’t remember his name.”

Jongdae considered this and admitted, “Well yeah, there’s that.”

“Why is he here? Why didn’t you take him to hospital?”

“He didn’t want to go.”

“Why would you even give him a choice?” he asked then another thought occurred to him, “And what the hell were you doing in my van?!”

“We had to go grocery shopping,” said Minseok mildly, but he gave Chanyeol a very pointed look.

Chanyeol decided not to push the point of them using his car without even asking because he had been promising Minseok all week that he would go grocery shopping with him but he hadn’t gotten around to it.

“And how did that end up with you running someone down?!”

“Well we were arguing,” admitted Jongdae.

“Surprise, surprise,” breathed Chanyeol, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

“Only because he went the wrong way and wouldn’t admit it,” piped up Minseok.

“And so…we didn’t see him,” continued Jongdae, ignoring all interruptions.

Minseok butted in again, _ “You _ didn’t see him! _ I _ saw him. He was crossing where he shouldn’t have been and…”

“We hit him with the car,” finished Jongdae, “I mean well it was really more of a nudge than a hit.”

“Yeah, we barely touched him,” confirmed Minseok.

“We got out to check if he was ok, but he really confused and dizzy and we asked if he wanted to go to the hospital and he didn’t, but he couldn’t remember his name or where he lived, so we brought him back here.”

“Why did you put him in _ my _ bed?”

“Yours is the only bedroom on the ground floor,” replied Jongdae reasonably, in Chanyeol’s opinion it was the only reasonable thing he’d said in the entire time he’d known him. 

Chanyeol raked his hands back through his hair distractedly. He was far too tired to deal with this nonsense. And he really didn’t like the idea of having an injured stranger unsupervised in his bed.

“I’m going to go check on him, but don’t think we’re done here Jongdae,” he said, and his deep voice made it sound far more like a threat than he’d intended.

As he left the room, he heard Jongdae whining to Minseok, “Why am I the only one in trouble?!”

“Because he likes me!”

In truth, Chanyeol found it a lot easier to be angry at Jongdae, than Minseok. He’d been friends with Minseok since elementary school and that counted for something.

He went back down the hall to his room. Chanyeol’s bedroom was the only one on the ground floor because it wasn’t originally a bedroom, but a dining room. The house only had 2 actual bedrooms both of which were upstairs, where the ceilings were considerably lower. Their third roommate Sehun could just about walk around without having to duck. But Chanyeol couldn’t walk under the door frames up there without hitting his head so he’d ended up in the dining room. 

He opened the door quietly and peered in. An unmoving lump under the duvet told him the stranger was still sleeping.

He thought Jongdae and Minseok were being really careless, head injuries could be dangerous, and what if this stranger had a brain haemorrhage or something and actually died in _ his _ bed.

Once inside the room, he dithered awkwardly, he thought he probably should wake him up in case he had a concussion. But then he thought about it and couldn’t remember if you were still meant to keep people who had a concussion awake or if you were meant to let them sleep? And either way, since he was already asleep was it better to just let him rest?

The bed was a double but it was in a corner of the room, with the right side as well as the headboard pushed up against the wall. The boy was curled up on the side closest to the wall and furthest from the door. Chanyeol approached the bed slowly, but he couldn’t make out if the stranger was even breathing.

He climbed onto the bed, careful not to move the mattress too much and crawled over to get a better look at him. He wanted to see if he had any visible head wounds. The boy didn’t stir at all as he leant over him. He couldn’t see a head wound, but then the boy’s nut-brown hair was longish and his bangs covered his forehead. From what Chanyeol could see of it, between his thick, shiny bangs and the top of the duvet, he had a small face, with clear, smooth, slightly tanned skin, a cute roundish nose, and rather sweet looking pale pink lips.

Chanyeol watched him for a minute hoping he would wake up, but he didn’t. He was definitely breathing though and appeared to be sleeping quite peacefully.

He sat back on the bed, leaning against the headboard, if he was going to wait, he might as well be comfortable. After a couple of minutes, he moved a pillow behind his head, a few minutes later he let his eyes close. ‘This is fine,’ he thought, ‘I’ll hear him if he wakes up.’ Then he drifted off to sleep.

He woke up with the instant awareness that he’d been asleep, and he hadn’t meant to be. He wondered how long he’d been asleep for. He opened his eyes slowly with the intention of checking his watch when he realised someone was looming over him.

The boy was awake now, kneeling on the bed and leaning right over him, his face only about 10 cm’s from his.

Chanyeol scrambled sideways, stifling a yell of surprise.

“You’re so handsome,” breathed the boy. “Are you my boyfriend?” he asked, staring at Chanyeol intently.

“What?” ejected Chanyeol. “No!”

Now the boy was awake, Chanyeol could see he had slightly downturned eyes which gave his face a puppyish quality. He was also very cute, a fact that did not escape Chanyeol’s notice.

The boy tilted his head slightly, and gave him a sudden smile, showing his even, white teeth.

“Really? You’re just my type.”

If Chanyeol hadn’t just woken up and wasn’t feeling so groggy and agitated, he would actually have been quite flattered to think this fresh-faced boy rated him.

Before Chanyeol could even formulate a response, the smile had slipped from the stranger’s lips, he winced in pain, sinking back against the pillows and holding his head.

“Are you ok?” asked Chanyeol, in concern.

The boy hesitated, pressing his eyes shut for a second then looking at Chanyeol with heartbreaking confusion.

“I….” he breathed, “I don’t know where I am.”

The sudden change in his demeanour scared Chanyeol. He moved closer, eyeing the boy carefully.

“It’s ok, you’re safe, I promise. Jongdae accidentally hit you with the van. He thinks you hit your head,” explained Chanyeol. “Do you remember that?” he asked tentatively.

The boy screwed up his eyes as if thinking, “I…think so? They wanted to take me to hospital, but I told them no because they said it would cost a lot of money and I don’t think I have any money.”

“That’s what they said to you?” asked Chanyeol sharply. He muttered under his breath, “Jongdae, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

He sighed and went on kindly, “If someone hits you with their car, they pay for you to go to the hospital. You won’t have to pay anything, I promise.”

Though Chanyeol knew if anyone was going to end up paying, it was him, getting money out of Jongdae was like getting blood out of a stone.

“Oh,” said the boy vaguely.

“I think I should take you to the hospital.”

The boy started to nod, then winced again.

“Come on.”

It was already 7:00 pm but there was a 24-hour clinic nearby so Chanyeol thought this was the best bet. Chanyeol called out, “We’re going to the hospital,” as he shut the front door behind them. They went out to the van which was parked on the driveway. Chanyeol purposefully went around the front of the van to get to the driver’s side so he could quickly check the hood for dents. From what he could see it hadn’t sustained any noticeable damage. It wasn’t in the best condition to start with.

They got in and Chanyeol backed the van out of the driveway and headed for the hospital.

“Jongdae said you couldn’t remember your name… do you remember anything?” he asked curiously.

“Um…depends what you mean by anything? I mean, I know I’m in a car, I know we’re driving on a road, I know this is Seoul, but it’s like all my personal memories are just...gone. It’s really weird actually.”

He lapsed into a tense silence, Chanyeol glanced at him and thought he looked worried.

“Well I’m sure the doctors at the hospital will help,” he said encouragingly, “My name is Park Chanyeol, by the way.”

“Oh, I know, Jongdae kept saying “Chanyeol is going to kill me, he’s going to kill me!”.”

Chanyeol laughed, “I still haven’t ruled it out.”

The boy was quiet again for a couple of minutes, looking out the window then he asked suddenly, “Are Minseok and Jongdae a couple?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that weird living with a couple?”

“Well Jongdae doesn’t technically live with us, he has his own place,” explained Chanyeol, “Though he’s over enough that it definitely feels like it sometimes.”

“Jongdae doesn’t mind that his boyfriend lives with another guy?”

Chanyeol laughed, “I don’t think Jongdae considers me a threat. Minseok and I have been friends since we were kids, he’s like a brother to me and besides, we have another roommate too.”

“Are _ you _ seeing anyone?”

The sudden personal question caught Chanyeol by surprise and he said, “No,” a little too abruptly.

Chanyeol could feel the boy looking at him intently now, though he kept his eyes on the road.

“You’re telling me, _ you’re _ single?!” the boy exclaimed disbelievingly.

“Yeah….,” He was almost going to continue, to explain that actually his boyfriend of 2 years had dumped him 2 days before, but he stopped himself, he didn’t need to be telling personal stuff like that to some stranger.

“But you’re so handsome!”

Chanyeol laughed awkwardly. “Thanks...I guess.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the boy cross his arms.

“That’s the second time I’ve called you handsome, but you haven’t said anything about me,” he said sighing in an exaggerated way that made Chanyeol laugh again.

“Sorry…um, you’re the best-looking stranger I’ve ever found in my bed, how’s that?”

“Do you have a lot of strangers in your bed?” the boy shot back immediately.

Chanyeol snorted with laughter and accidentally turned the indictor on, he hastily turned it off again.

“Do you fuck around a lot?” persisted the boy.

“No! I was just joking,” said Chanyeol.

“Do you like dick?”

“Excuse me?!”

“Dick? Are you gay? That’s the vibe I’m getting.”

“You shouldn’t ask people questions like that when they’re driving,” said Chanyeol, feeling distinctly flustered and trying not to show it.

“Well I’ve lost my memory, but I’m very sure I like men,” he mused. “I mean when I woke up and I couldn’t remember anything, I saw you sleeping and I thought, I may have lost my memory but if this guy is my boyfriend then I’m doing alright.”

“Are you always this complimentary?”

The boy considered this, then said, “I don’t know...I don’t remember.”

They had just reached the hospital and Chanyeol needed all his concentration to navigate the small and busy underground carpark. They eventually found a parking spot and caught the elevator up to admissions.

The nurse at the admissions desk gave Chanyeol a form on a clipboard and they sat down on a set of hard plastic chairs in the waiting room, to try and fill it in. Chanyeol scratched his head with the pen looking at the form. They wanted to know everything, he didn’t even know some of this stuff about himself! How was he meant to fill it out for someone he’d just met and who had no memory?

He started with the first bit, the easiest bit.

“I need you to think about what your name is,” he said.

“I don’t remember,” said the boy flatly, as if he was sick of repeating this.

“Well have you got anything in your pockets, a wallet? A phone?” suggested Chanyeol. He looked at the boy’s outfit, he was wearing a fitted black and white striped t-shirt and rather snug black jeans, there didn’t look to be much room for anything to be hiding. 

“No,” said the boy, but he stretched out his right leg then started pulling small objects out of his front pocket.

He pulled out a condom in a square, metallic foil packet.

“What’s this?” he asked holding it up to the light.

“Put that away,” hissed Chanyeol, covering the condom with his hands before anyone saw it.

“Is it candy?”

“Yes, it’s candy,” said Chanyeol clutching at this convenient excuse, “Put it away, this is a hospital you can’t have candy here.”

The boy stuffed it back in his pocket. Then he tried his left pocket and pulled out a t-money card.

Chanyeol grabbed it and checked the back. It had a name written on it in black marker but it was heavily smudged. He squinted at it.

“It starts with a B,” he said uncertainly, “It looks like Baebhyoon. That can’t be right. Fuck your handwriting is awful.”

“B,” said the boy thinking, “B…B....you know,” he said slowly, “I think it’s Baby.”

“What’s baby?”

“My name…it’s something like Baby.”

“It can’t be Baby, no one’s called Baby,” said Chanyeol flatly.

“I think I am,” he said earnestly.

“I’m not calling you Baby!”

“But it’s my name!”

“It’s not... It’s Baebhyoon or something!” Chanyeol said gesturing at the indecipherable card.

The boy crossed his arms angrily, he raised his voice even louder, “You told me to think about what my name is, and I did and I’m telling you it’s Baby!”

Chanyeol was extremely annoyed, but their little shouting match had already attracted the attention of most of the waiting room plus he had to make allowances, the boy had been hit with a car…his car.

“Alright fine,” he said through gritted teeth. He wrote ‘Baby’ on the dotted line.

“Now how old do you think you are?” he asked.

Baby thought about it. “How old are you?”

“I’m 21.”

“Me too.”

“Are you saying that because you actually remembered or just because I said it?!”

“Neither?” hazarded Baby, “I don’t think I like guys who are older than me or much younger either and I’m super into you, so I think we must be around the same age.” He gave Chanyeol a surprisingly ingenuous smile, and Chanyeol looked down at the form again not knowing what to say and feeling uncharacteristically flustered. 

They didn’t get any further with the form after that. Baby did not know his address, his phone number, his birthday, his blood type or anything.

Chanyeol gave up. He took the form up to the nurse to try to explain why it was more or less blank. After repeating the explanation to a further 2 more senior nurses, they finally agreed to admit Baby without the form.

“Come here,” called Chanyeol, waving at him from across the waiting room.

But the boy was watching some kids playing on a mat on the ground and didn’t seem to hear him.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Baby come over here,” he called.

A young woman sitting nearby gave him a strange look as Baby ran up the counter to join him.

“It’s not what you think, it’s his name,” Chanyeol started to explain, but the woman looked away quickly as Baby suddenly patted him firmly on the butt.

“What are you doing?!” spluttered Chanyeol, jumping away from his hand.

Unnoticed by Chanyeol the nurse had already started walking down the corridor. Baby grabbed his arm and pulled him along saying, “You have such a nice body,” loudly enough that Chanyeol’s ears went pink.

Chanyeol spent the next hour waiting on another hard-plastic chair, which managed to become increasingly more uncomfortable over time. He was sitting in a small, bland corridor while Baby underwent a series of tests in a room nearby. He knew morally bringing Baby to the hospital was the right thing to do but he was thoroughly dreading how much this would all cost. He’d been saving up for a couple of months now for a new amp for his guitar and he had almost had enough to buy it until this happened.

When Baby finally reappeared, he looked both exhausted and a bit scared. He was holding his mouth in a tense line. The nurse left him sitting with Chanyeol while they waited for the test results.

“Are you ok?” Chanyeol asked as soon as they were alone, turning in his seat to face Baby.

“Yeah, just tired,” said Baby, but he looked like he was about to cry.

Chanyeol acted on autopilot, he guided Baby’s head gently against his shoulder.

“Try to sleep for a bit, ok?” he said.

To his surprise, Baby slipped an arm under his, holding onto him and turning his body slightly in his chair in order to rest more fully against him.

Chanyeol found himself feeling strangely protective of this boy and he didn’t think it was just because he was injured. He suspected his size had something to do with it. Baby was a least 10 cm shorter than himself. He guessed he was probably only a bit taller than his ex-boyfriend. They were both slim too, but while his Ex had been straight up and down, this boy had a curvy sort of figure. His eyes wandered, not for the first time, to the boy’s thighs, in his tight jeans. There was no denying it, no matter how cute his face was, he had a very sexy body.

Chanyeol had shifted his admiring stare to Baby’s hips when the doctor’s reappearance made him jump guiltily. His movement jolted Baby, who jerked awake suddenly. They got up and followed the doctor back to his office to discuss the test results.


	2. Tuesday- Part 2

The doctor explained to them both that Baby was suffering from traumatic amnesia either from the blow to the head or the shock of being hit by the car. The doctor suspected it was more likely to be due to shock because the head injury itself was very minor. He might be dizzy and disorientated for a few days, but his memory would most likely come back on its own, within that time.

They waited at the nurse’s desk while Baby’s discharge papers were prepared and Chanyeol paid the, not unexpected but still depressingly large, bill. Goodbye, new amp.

Chanyeol’s stomach gave a loud rumble.

“I’m hungry,” he said, cringing in embarrassment.

“Here eat this,” said Baby dropping the condom, from his pocket, onto the paperwork in front of Chanyeol.

The nurse looked at it for a second before Chanyeol recovered enough to smack his hand down over it.

To his annoyance, Baby stifled a laugh.

Chanyeol rounded on him, “You’re messing with me now, aren’t you?”

“You made it too easy! I might have lost my memories, but I still know what stuff is,” Baby laughed.

Chanyeol shook his head.

“I’m keeping this now,” said Chanyeol, scooping the condom off the edge of the desk. He figured that if he had the condom, then Baby couldn’t produce it at random and embarrass him again.

Baby gasped watching Chanyeol tuck the condom into one of his back jeans pockets, “I knew you fucked around!” he said loudly.

“Keep your voice down!” exclaimed Chanyeol, looking around, he dropped his own voice to a whisper and shot back, “and if anyone fucks around it’s probably the one with the condom in their pocket!”

“The condom’s in your pocket!” pointed out Baby.

Chanyeol realised Baby was right and paused for a second before clamping his hands over his ears and saying, “Just shut up!”

His ears felt so hot he was sure they were bright red.

He made accidental eye contact with the nurse. “You couldn’t just keep him here? Could you?” he asked her.

“Chanyeol!” whined Baby, clutching his sleeve.

“Nevermind, I was joking,” added Chanyeol to the nurse who had looked surprised at his request, he had just signed a bunch of discharge papers after all.

Baby kept hold of Chanyeol’s sleeve as they left the waiting room and got in an elevator. They were the only ones in there and Baby waited till Chanyeol had selected the floor and the doors had closed before saying, “I’m sorry I embarrassed you,” in a small voice.

“It’s ok,” said Chanyeol, mollified by Baby’s cutely pouting expression.

“How many guys have you fucked?” asked Baby suddenly.

“Baby!”

“I just need to know! Please!”

“Why are you so obsessed with who I fuck?”

“Because I like you!” replied Baby earnestly, looking into Chanyeol’s eyes so intently that Chanyeol had to look away.

Chanyeol sighed. “You’re completely crazy, you know that, right?” He ran his hand back through his hair. “One, ok? I’ve only been with one guy. I don’t fuck around...but I’m starting to think you do.”

“I don’t,” whined Baby.

“You don’t know that; you’ve lost your memory!”

Baby seemed to consider this, he pulled extra hard on Chanyeol’s sleeve in an annoyed sort of way.

“Stop that,” said Chanyeol sharply, shaking his sleeve free of Baby’s grip. “You’ll stretch it out.”

Baby let his hand drop to hang limply at his side, his head was bowed and he was looking at the floor.

When Chanyeol bent down slightly to look at his face he was alarmed to see how close to tears Baby looked. Baby was standing completely motionless, except for his hard breathing, and didn’t even step forward when the doors opened on the car park.

‘Maybe I’m the crazy one,’ Chanyeol thought and found himself saying, “If you’re going to hold onto me, at least do it properly.”

He took Baby’s hand and laced his fingers through his firmly. Baby looked down at their joined hands and smiled such a sweet smile that Chanyeol felt a little giddy.

“C’mon,” he said roughly to cover the rush of warm emotion he was feeling, and he stepped out of the elevator pulling an unresisting Baby along with him.

After they’d gotten in the van and exited the car park, Chanyeol looked at the time on the dashboard. It was 9:30 pm.

“I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” he admitted, “Do you want to get something to eat?”

“Ok,” agreed Baby.

“There’s a chicken place about a block from here which should still be open.”

They drove to the chicken shop and managed to find a parking spot nearby. Chanyeol had been there a few times before since it was fairly close to the house.

They walked in the front door. It wasn’t a big shop but there were only a couple of tables occupied so they had their pick of tables and chose one near the windows. Chanyeol liked the ambience of the place, it was dimly lit, and the brick walls and tall wooden tables were the exact opposite of the bright plasticky interiors of a fast-food chain.

They read the laminated menus laid out on the tabletop for a few minutes before the waitress came over to take their order.

“Do you see anything you want?” Chanyeol prompted Baby because he hadn’t even looked up when the waitress approached.

Baby shrugged and mumbled various non-committal things until Chanyeol gave up and just ordered some chicken and drinks for them both.

The food arrived and Chanyeol ate happily. Fried chicken never tasted better than when you were really hungry, and he was starving.

After a few minutes of determined eating, his hunger was satiated enough to notice for the first time that Baby wasn’t eating.

“You don’t like chicken?” Chanyeol asked in concern.

“No, I do.”

“Are you sure? Cause you’re not really eating it…do you want something else?” he asked, pushing the tabletop menu over to Baby.

“No, I’m eating it,” said Baby, he picked up a wing and gnawed it with an unconvincing show of enjoyment. “It’s really tasty.”

He ate for a couple more minutes before slowly lapsing once again into a pensive silence, holding the same uneaten piece of chicken while staring absently at the table.

Chanyeol had the impression Baby was working himself up to say something.

“Alright, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Does your head hurt again?”

“No.”

He looked into Chanyeol’s eyes, then away again quickly. He fidgeted, picking up his drink taking a sip then rattling the ice around in a way that made Chanyeol teeth hurt.

Chanyeol reached out and gently removed the glass from Baby’s hand putting it back on the table. He said softly, “If you just tell me, I think you’ll feel better.”

Baby swallowed loudly.

“Alright, so the thing is…the thing is…I don’t have any money with me...and I don’t know where I live either,” he began hesitantly. “Can I stay with you till I remember?”

This took Chanyeol completely by surprise. “Of course, you can,” he said immediately. “I thought that was already decided.”

“Was it? When?”

“Well Jongdae and Minseok brought you back to the house,” replied Chanyeol. “I mean technically you should probably stay with Jongdae, since this is all his fault, but he practically lives with us anyway and besides I don’t think he’d take care of you properly.”

“But you’ll take care of me?” asked Baby coyly, a small smile tilting up the corners of his lips.

“Hey, I’m taking care of you already,” exclaimed Chanyeol, suddenly embarrassed. “Who bought you that chicken you’re still not eating?!”

“I’m eating it,” laughed Baby, picking up a piece and chewing on it more enthusiastically than he had so far.

He finished a piece and ate another one happily.

Chanyeol watched him eat and tried not to smile too much himself, he didn’t know why he was feeling so soft.

“Do you feel better now?” he asked hurriedly when Baby caught him staring.

Baby nodded, “Mmm,” he said through another mouthful of chicken. “Can we order that?” he asked pointing to a picture of onion rings on the tabletop menu.

“Sure,” said Chanyeol smiling at him properly. 

Baby gasped suddenly, dropping the piece of chicken he’d been about to take another bite from.

“What?” exclaimed Chanyeol, looking at the piece of chicken now abandoned on the table and expecting to see a bug or something gross on it.

“You have a dimple!” said Baekhyun staring avidly at Chanyeol’s left cheek. “I just love dimples!” He leant in closer, staring so intently that Chanyeol felt his cheeks heat up.

“You’re really perfect, you know that?” continued Baby almost breathlessly.

“I..,” stammered Chanyeol. “Just hurry up and finish your food ok?!” he said roughly and ignoring Baby’s amused little laugh, he grabbed another piece of chicken and chomped noisily.

After they had finished eating, they drove back to the house.  Chanyeol unlocked the door and he and Baby started down the hallway towards Chanyeol’s room.

“Chanyeol?!” came Minseok’s alarmed voice from the living room.

“Yes?”

Minseok came running out into the hallway.

“Where have you been?”

“I took him to the hospital,” he said motioning towards Baby who was standing awkwardly beside him.

“You could have told us you were going!”

“I did. I called out before we left,” replied Chanyeol indignantly.

He shepherded Minseok back into the living room, with Baby trailing along behind.

“Well we didn’t hear you,” said Jongdae, he was still sitting on the couch which Minseok had clearly only just vacated. “We’ve been really worried,” he added sedately, the TV was on and he hadn’t bothered to mute it.

“Clearly,” said Chanyeol, watching Jongdae eat chips nonchalantly out a bowl on his lap. Minseok dropped back onto the couch and leant against him.

“Anyway, the doctors say he should get his memory back in a few days at least so in the meantime he’s going to stay here. And since there’s nothing wrong with his legs I think he should sleep upstairs in your room and you 2 can sleep on the couch,” said Chanyeol teasingly. Unfortunately, before he could raise a satisfyingly panicked response from Jongdae, Baby had grabbed his arm. He looked up at Chanyeol with heartbreaking eyes.

“I don’t want to sleep upstairs all alone, what if I wake up and I don’t know where I am.”

Chanyeol melted, all plans to punish Jongdae were abandoned.

“It’s ok, I was just teasing them. You don’t have to sleep up there alone, Baby.”

Jongdae and Minseok exchanged looks, Minseok mouthing, “Baby?” in surprise.

“Uh…is there something you want to tell us, Yeolie?”

“Eh?” said Chanyeol. He had been too fixated on Baby to notice their exchange.

“Uh… _ Baby _ ? When did that happen?”

“Hey, no don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not a pet name or anything. He thinks his name is actually Baby,” explained Chanyeol hastily.

Baby nodded happily, “It is.”

Jongdae and Minseok exchanged another look, which Chanyeol considered to be annoyingly knowing, he frowned at them.

Suddenly Minseok smiled. “Well anyway, I agree, Chanyeol shouldn’t be punished because of what Jongdae did. Jongdae you can sleep on the couch and I’ll sleep with upstairs with Baby, so he’s not alone,” he said raising an eyebrow. He stood up and slipped an arm around Baby’s slim waist.

“No, you won’t!” said Jongdae and Chanyeol together.

“Yeah, I’ll sleep with Minseok,” said Baby happily, snuggling into Minseok’s arm

Chanyeol pulled him away.

“No, it’s already been decided, you’re staying down here with me!”

He caught the conspiratorial smile Baby and Minseok shared as he pulled Baby from the room.

As soon as they walked into the room, the big bed taking up almost half of it, he felt conflicted. They hadn’t really explored the sleeping arrangement options properly. Was he forcing Baby to share a bed with him? Did he even want to share a bed with Baby? He knew the idea left him oddly excited and that probably meant it wasn’t a good idea.

Baby walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed to remove his socks.

Chanyeol thought it was best to broach the subject before Baby took any more clothes off. He began awkwardly, “You know I was joking, right? and if you’d be more comfortable upstairs with Minseok that’s ok...or I could sleep on the couch?”

“Would you even fit on the couch?” asked Baby interestedly. He balled up his socks and threw them at Chanyeol’s laundry hamper.

Chanyeol considered this. “No... probably not,” he replied. It had also just occurred to him that Jongdae and Minseok usually stayed up ridiculously late watching movies, so he’d have to wait for them to vacate it first.

Baby laughed and replied, “It’s ok, I don’t want to sleep upstairs and I don’t want you to have to pretzel yourself to fit on the couch either.”

“Ok good,” said Chanyeol, sighing in relief. He sank down on the bed next to Baby.

“You know…,” said Baby slowly. He swung his legs up onto the bed and knelt next to Chanyeol looking at him closely. “I’m really looking forward to sleeping with you.”

Chanyeol felt his eyes involuntarily widen to their largest possible state.

Baby cracked up laughing. “Oh my god, do that again! You just made the funniest face!” he managed to say through his laughter.

“Well, of course, I did with you saying  _ that _ to me!”

Baby gasped. “You have such a dirty mind,” he laughed, pretending to be scandalised.

“I do not!” protested Chanyeol, “And don’t pretend you didn’t mean it that way either.”

“I didn’t,” denied Baby, “but I do now,” he added, dropping the innocent act and crawling towards Chanyeol. “I’m definitely looking forward to fucking you.”

“Baby!”

Baby flopped face-first onto Chanyeol’s lap, laughing hard as he grabbed Chanyeol around the waist.

Chanyeol froze, unsure how to react. He wasn’t used to people he barely knew being so touchy with him, in fact, he wasn’t even used to people he  _ did _ know touching him like this.

Baby seemed to notice that Chanyeol was holding himself so rigid that he was barely breathing. He let go of his waist but didn’t sit up instead he rolled over onto his back, his head still in Chanyeol’s lap.

“I actually didn’t it mean it that way before, I just meant you’d be really nice to cuddle with while sleeping,” explained Baby, watching Chanyeol closely.

“Have you just remembered that you like cuddling then?” asked Chanyeol sardonically. He was keeping his arms stiffly at his sides, steadfastly resisting a new and disturbing urge he felt to stroke the boy’s soft-looking hair. 

“No, but before when you said I was going to have to sleep upstairs alone, my first thought was ‘No! I really want to snuggle with him’ so I think I must be a snuggly sleeper,” he said. “Are you?” he added playfully, tickling Chanyeol’s stomach with both hands.

Chanyeol squirmed away from his fingers, eventually succeeding in pushing the laughing boy right off his lap.

“No, I’m not,” he said flatly. Though he knew this wasn’t remotely true. He loved to snuggle; it was his ex who didn’t like it. His ex who had pushed him away so often and for so long that he had told himself he liked sleeping alone on his side of the bed, he liked the space. It had hurt less that way.

“We’ll see about that,” said Baby confidently, “Where’s your bathroom?” he added, climbing off the bed.

“Follow the hallway all the way down, it’s the door next to the stairs.”

“Ok,” said Baby and he left the room.

Chanyeol jumped up, Baby’s absence gave him an opportunity to change for bed unobserved. He took off his jacket and jeans and leaving his t-shirt on he pulled on a pair of sweatpants. He hurriedly got into bed.

Baby came back and quickly wriggled out of his tight jeans. He was wearing blue boxer briefs that fit him very well. Chanyeol found himself hoping Baby would turn around so he could get a 360-degree view. He was pretending he wasn’t watching but he gave himself away by exclaiming, “Turn off the light,” the very second Baby moved towards the bed. Baby turned and ran back to the light switch by the door. Chanyeol watched him with interest, this was the view he had wanted, and it confirmed what he had thought before in the hospital, Baby had a very sexy body indeed.

Baby turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness. Chanyeol heard him run over to the bed and felt the bed jolt as he climbed on.

Chanyeol was on his usual side, the left side closest to the door, he quickly rolled over so his back was to Baby. After a couple of seconds, he felt a sudden warmth and realised Baby had slid in against his back. Baby wrapped an arm around his waist and pressed himself even closer against him. Chanyeol felt supremely awkward, this felt good, really good but he didn’t know how to react. He was worried his breathing was too fast and that Baby could feel it.

“Your hair smells so good,” breathed Baby suddenly. His warm breath against Chanyeol’s neck made him shudder involuntarily. He reacted instantly.

“Alright, that’s it, roll over, I get to be the big spoon,” he demanded.

“Why?”

“Because I’m  _ literally _ the big spoon.”

“You think highly of yourself, don’t you?!”

“No, I mean I’m taller, roll over.”

Baby released him and though he couldn’t see him Chanyeol heard him roll over while grumbling softly to himself.

He swiftly rolled over and embraced Baby. Baby fit a lot better in his arms than he had in Baby’s. Baby responded to everything he did, bending his legs to fit snugly with his and pressing himself back to increase their contact. When Chanyeol wrapped an arm over his waist, Baby grabbed it and snuggled into it.

“Oh, I take it back, I  _ love _ being the little spoon,” said Baby.

“You know what can’t talk? Cutlery! So be quiet.”

“You can smell my hair if you like,” suggested Baby sweetly.

“Shh I’m sleeping,” said Chanyeol.

Chanyeol wasn’t going to admit that he had already smelled Baby’s hair and he thought Baby smelled amazing. He felt amazing too. When was the last time he had held someone like this? He couldn’t even remember.


	3. Wednesday- Part 1

When he woke up it was to the realisation that his hair was being gently stroked. It felt good. He shifted, pressing his head into the light touch, seeking to increase it. He loved head massages, any massages really and he couldn’t remember the last time Kyungsoo had touched him like this. 

“Harder,” he breathed, expecting Kyungsoo to back off any second. He was pleasantly surprised when instead he increased the pressure, kneading gently but firmly with his fingers.

“Kyungie,” moaned Chanyeol.

“Who’s Kyungie?” said an unfamiliar voice by his ear. 

Chanyeol opened his eyes immediately. 

It wasn’t Kyungsoo. Baby was kneeling next to him on the bed. His hair tousled from sleep; his soft brown eyes fixed on Chanyeol. 

“Shit, you scared me!” Chanyeol said pulling himself up and out of Baby’s reach.

“Do you like head massages?” Baby asked, reaching towards Chanyeol’s hair once more. 

“No,” denied Chanyeol flatly, knocking his hand away.

Baby took the rejection well, he smiled and said admiringly, “Your hair is so pretty.”

Chanyeol’s hair was currently a deep magenta. He had dyed it himself and had been very happy with the result, though Minseok was not so pleased with the fact that the shower floor was now permanently stained pink. 

“Where do you work that they let you have hair like that?”

“I’m the guitarist in a band,” said Chanyeol, smiling despite himself, he didn’t want to appear conceited but even he thought that his statement had sounded pretty damned cool. 

His bubble of self-confidence was burst by Baby’s snort of laughter. He stopped abruptly at the look on Chanyeol’s face. 

“Wait, you’re serious?”

“Yes! What’s so funny about me being in a band?”

“Nothing, just...” Baby gestured around him, “you’re telling me your band makes enough money to rent this house?”

Chanyeol deflated slightly, the band didn’t even make enough money to keep them in toilet paper let alone pay the rent on this place. 

“Well no, I mean…we all have other jobs and Minseok’s great-aunt owns the house and doesn’t charge us much rent otherwise there is no way we could afford it,” admitted Chanyeol begrudgingly. 

Though truth be told the house wasn’t that great. It was small and old, still, I was pretty awesome to be living in a house in Seoul for such cheap rent. It also had a garage which made a perfect practise room for their band, even though it meant his van had to be permanently parked outside. 

“Where do you work?”

“Well part-time in a musical instrument store and I also give lessons at a music academy downtown,” Chanyeol paused, then admitted, “well I did until last week when I dyed my hair this colour.”

“They fired you?”

“Fired is a pretty strong word, they just stopped giving me lessons.”

“They fired you,” said Baby flatly.

“Yeah,” conceded Chanyeol.

Chanyeol wasn’t going to admit it but he was secretly planning to dye his hair black or back to brown once the red started to fade then go back to the Academy and see if they’d let him pick up lessons again. He liked teaching kids and one of his students had had a real talent for the piano and he really wanted to keep teaching them. 

“What’s your band called?” asked Baby.

“Sweet lies.”

Baby screwed up his nose.

Chanyeol laughed despite himself. “You don’t like it?”

“I don’t like liars,” said Baby simply.

“Neither, do I,” replied Chanyeol. Then he found himself wondering if the lies he told himself counted. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing deep or anything, we just liked how it sounded. We’ve been called that since high school.”

Baby reached out a hand to stroke Chanyeol’s hair again but Chanyeol swatted his hand away. 

Baby sighed, then pouted, “If you’re not going to let me touch your hair, then can I have something to eat? I’m hungry.”

Chanyeol looked at his watch, “Shit it’s 2 pm!” he exclaimed. “C’mon get up, you can shower first, and I’ll make you something to eat.”

Chanyeol climbed off the bed, Baby following. He saw Baby reach out and realised his tracksuit pants were slipping down a bit, he quickly hiked them up before Baby’s hand could make contact with this exposed hip. 

“You’re so...grabby,” said Chanyeol.

“I can’t help it, I think I have poor impulse control,” said Baby so earnestly that Chanyeol burst out laughing. 

“That actually explains a lot,” he said composing himself with effort.

Chanyeol thought Baby was weird but oddly endearing at the same time. And he found himself wondering for the first time whether Baby would be different if he had his memories. The thought actually worried him, though he wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Now c’mon I’ll lend you some clothes to wear after your shower, but you’ll have to wear your jeans from yesterday, you’ll trip over mine.”

“You’re not _ that _ much taller than me,” scoffed Baby, sounding offended.

“Oh yeah?” replied Chanyeol, he stepped in to stand right next to Baby.

Baby’s body was quite evenly portioned for his height and standing next to Chanyeol only emphasised this because Chanyeol was basically all legs. Though he was only around 10 cm’s taller than Baby his legs were considerably longer. 

Baby looked at their comparative leg lengths, pouting. “Point taken,” he conceded. 

Baby followed Chanyeol over to the chest of drawers. Chanyeol took out a t-shirt and a hoodie and then opened his underwear drawer.

“You’re going to lend me underwear?” asked Baby, he sounded surprised.

Chanyeol had just pulled out pair of rainbow coloured boxer briefs. “They’re clean,” he said slightly offended.

Baby laughed, “I didn’t mean it like that, it’s just there’s something so…intimate about it.”

“You spent all last night with your butt pressed against me and now you’re standing here in front of me in just your underwear and you’re worried about being intimate?” 

“Oh, I’m not worried about it,” laughed Baby. “I like the idea of wearing your underwear, there’s something sexy about it.” Baby bit his lip, and added, “Do you think me wearing your underwear is kind of sexy?”

Chanyeol definitely did but he wasn’t going to say it. He shut the drawer loudly instead. 

Baby continued happily, “I think we should shower together. It’ll be quicker.”

“Yeah, something tells me it wouldn’t be quicker.”

“I’ll wash your hair for you,” said Baby enticingly.

Chanyeol adjusted his expression as to not give away just how much he was intrigued by this suggestion.

“You’re too short, you couldn’t even reach properly,” he pointed out, smugly. 

“Well, ideally, you’d be kneeling already,” Baby said slowly, looking at Chanyeol closely, while the meaning of his words sunk in. 

Chanyeol shoved the clothes into Baby’s hands, “Get in the shower now and you can wash your mouth out while you’re in there.”

Baby laughed but graciously accepted defeat and left the room. 

Baby was barely out of the room when Chanyeol’s own words were coming back to haunt him. What had he said earlier? ‘You can shower first, and I’ll make you something to eat’? I’ll make you something to eat?! What on earth had made him say that? What was he thinking? He couldn’t “make” anything, toast and ramyeon were about the extent of his culinary talents. His ex had always done the cooking. He ran his hands back through his hair, trying not to remember all the delicious food Kyungsoo had cooked him. He thought he was doing a good job taking care of Baby and he didn’t want to disappoint him. Surely he could cook...something? Right?

He grabbed his phone and went down the hall and into the kitchen, the only sound in the house was the faint hum of water hitting the tiled shower floor. 

He checked the fridge. It was pretty full, Minseok had only gone shopping the day before, after all. He stumbled upon some likely ingredients, eggs, and tomatoes. He quickly searched the internet on his phone for an easy recipe with eggs and tomatoes and found one. 

By the time Baby emerged Chanyeol had memorised a basic recipe and gotten started on the eggs. He could do this, he told himself, this was easy, he just had to go slowly and not panic. 

At the sound of Baby’s footsteps, he turned and stopped mid stir. 

Baby was wearing his own tight black jeans, from yesterday, and the red hoodie that Chanyeol had given him. It fit Chanyeol, but he hadn’t considered when he chose it, how much smaller Baby was. It was really quite adorably large on him. It came down to the middle of his thighs and the sleeves hung over his hands. Baby looked so cute that Chanyeol bit his lip, smiling automatically, he brought one hand up to cover his mouth.

“Are you cooking?” asked Baby, coming over to the stove. He peered around Chanyeol at the tomato and scrambled eggs Chanyeol was cooking. 

“I love a man who can cook,” he said happily. 

“Sorry, about the hoodie, I didn’t realise it was so big,” said Chanyeol, “I bet Minseok would have something that would fit better.”

“What’s wrong with it?” asked Baby, letting his overlarge sleeves flap around, “I love it, it’s _ so _ comfy and it’s yours, I’d rather wear your clothes than Minseok’s.”

“Alright,” said Chanyeol, still smiling despite himself, “Do you like eggs?”

“Um,” said Baby, he leant over the pan and breathed in, “Well I don’t remember, but based on how my whole mouth just filled with saliva, I’m going to say yes.”

“Good. Can you get the toast out of the toaster and put it on those plates?” he asked, adding salt to the eggs, then opening the fridge to grab the butter. 

Baby did what he was told, protecting his fingers from the hot toast with the hoodie sleeves. 

“I definitely don’t think I can cook,” Baby said offhandedly, “I may have lost my memory but I’ll bet my life I’ve never seen one of these before,” he added holding up and shaking a metal whisk that Chanyeol had dropped in the sink. 

“It’s a whisk,” laughed Chanyeol, though he had only learnt this word 10 minutes before. He buttered the toast and started scooping hot eggs and tomatoes onto each plate. 

“Well it looks and sounds like an extremely awkward sex toy,” said Baby, matter-of-factly, giving the whisk a shake before dropping it back in the sink. 

Chanyeol laughed again, “You know, I really hope when you get your memory back it turns out you’re actually a priest or something.”

“Here take these plates to the table,” he added, handing Baby the two plates and grabbing knives and forks from the top drawer. He joined Baby at the table.

He watched hesitantly as Baby cut up his toast and took his first mouthful. 

“Wah this is amazing!” exclaimed Baby, with his mouth full, “Can we eat this for every meal?!!!”

Chanyeol was ridiculously pleased with himself, he tried not to show it, but he could not stop smiling. 

“I think you’ll get sick of it pretty quickly if we do,” he said looking down to hide his pleasure. He started to cut up his own toast. 

“Sick of this? No way, never.” 

Chanyeol finally ate a bite and was surprised to find it really was good. This whole time he thought cooking was really difficult. 

After they finished eating Chanyeol went off to have a shower. 

When he finished showering he was surprised to find Baby wasn’t in his room. He got dressed, put on a load of washing, including Baby’s clothes from yesterday and then went looking for him. As he walked through the empty living room he heard his other roommate Sehun laughing, it sounded like it was coming from the kitchen. He walked in on a strange sight. Sehun was leaning back against the sink laughing while Baby was bent over with one hand apparently stuck inside the knee rip of Sehun’s jeans.

“It won’t come out,” said Baby.

“Well you shouldn’t have stuck your hand in there in the first place,” laughed Sehun. 

Chanyeol was surprised to see him so amused, Sehun was usually cool to the point of standoffish with people he didn’t know well.

Baby heard Chanyeol come in and looked up at him, “Have you felt these? Sehunnie has such nice knees.”

“What are you doing?” asked Chanyeol, “Get your hand out of there.”

“It’s stuck.”

“It’s not stuck, your spreading your fingers out,” said Chanyeol, bending down to squeeze Baby’s fingers together and pull his hand out of Sehun’s jeans. 

Sehun felt the tension even if Baby didn’t appear to. He said, “Well nice to meet you,” and ducked out of the room immediately. 

“Sehun has such long, sexy legs,” remarked Baby, watching him leave.

Chanyeol crossed his arms and tried very hard not to pout. “I’ve got long legs,” he muttered.

Baby looked at his legs, now encased tightly in a pair of black jeans.

“Oh I’ve never noticed before...you’re bowlegged.”

“What?” ejected Chanyeol, following Baby’s eyes to his own knees, “I am not,” he refuted instantly. 

“Put your ankles together,” ordered Baby.

Chanyeol shuffled his ankles together obediently.

“See,” said Baby pointing at Chanyeol’s knees, “Your knees don’t touch, they go right out, you’re really bow legged.”

Chanyeol saw it now, his knees really didn’t touch, he tried to make them but couldn’t. 

“Oh my god! I am,” he said miserably. 

Baby seemed to regret mentioning it. 

“Hey, it’s not that bad. I think it’s really cute!”

“I’m 6 foot 1, I don’t want to be cute!” Chanyeol exclaimed, the unspoken words, ‘_ I want to be sexy, _’ hung in the air. 

Baby tilted his head looking up at him.

“Are you really that bothered by me saying Sehun’s legs are sexy?” he asked, reading between the lines. 

“No!”

“I didn’t say I thought the rest of him was sexy or that I thought he was sexier than you, did I?”

“No,” muttered Chanyeol, not looking at him.

“Because I don’t.”

Chanyeol tried to keep his expression neutral but the corners of his mouth were involuntarily tipping up. Baby reached up and poked him gently on his left cheek, cooing, “C’mon give me a smile” at him. 

“No.”

“_C’mon,_” said Baby again coaxingly, twisting his fingertip against Chanyeol cheek, where his dimple appeared when he smiled. 

Chanyeol snatched Baby’s hand away and drew him quickly into a hug.

He was amused to hear Baby’s gasp of surprise before he reciprocated with zeal, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s waist tightly.

“Don’t flirt with my housemates, ok? I’m the jealous type, I can’t take it,” Chanyeol said pressing his face into Baby’s soft, clean hair. 

“Can I flirt with you?”

“You already do!”

Baby looked up at him smiling cheekily. “Yeah but if you say it’s ok, then I’m going to amp it up a bit,” he said. 

Chanyeol laughed, “That almost sounds like a threat.”

“Maybe it is.”

Just then, Minseok who Chanyeol knew to have the worst timing of any man alive, walked in.

Chanyeol feeling instantly awkward tried unsuccessfully to release Baby, but Baby held onto the back of his t-shirt. 

Minseok ignored the situation entirely and instead looked Baby up and down judgmentally.

“What on earth are you wearing?” he asked.

Baby looked down at the too-large hoodie, “It’s Chanyeol’s,” he said a little defensively. 

“I can lend you something that fits if you like.”

“Nah, I like this.”

“You’re not going to wear that tonight, are you?”

“What’s tonight?”

Minseok turned to Chanyeol and asked accusingly, “You haven’t told him?!”

In truth, Chanyeol had completely forgotten about it. 

“Our band’s playing a gig tonight,” he admitted hurriedly. 

“Oh cool! Can I come?” asked Baby, his eyes lit up enthusiastically. 

Minseok grabbed Baby by the arm saying, “Not in that hoodie, come upstairs with me we’ll find something better.”

“Remember what I said,” called Chanyeol after them, though wasn’t particularly worried about Baby flirting with Minseok.

Baby gave him an exaggerated wink over his shoulder. 

Chanyeol leant back against one of the kitchen cabinets and thought about what had just happened. He shouldn’t be doing this. Baby was the very definition of vulnerable, he had lost his memory, and Chanyeol had no idea who he really was. Not to mention he had only broken up with his boyfriend of 2 years last week. But there was something about Baby that made him feel sort of reckless.

Sehun walked in holding a set of car keys. He looked around, looking surprised to find Chanyeol alone.

“I borrowed my brother’s car,” he explained, “We should probably start loading up the van.”

Together they started hauling the sound equipment out of the garage and into the back of Chanyeol’s van. Luckily, they didn’t need to bring Sehun’s drums, because he was going to use the headlining band’s kit. 

Minseok’s bass amp was always the biggest trial is was considerably larger and heavier than Chanyeol’s and didn’t have any handholds, making it difficult to move. They got the amp down the driveway but Chanyeol wasn’t looking forward to lifting it into the van. 

Sehun clearly wasn’t either because he snapped out, “Where is Minseok anyway? He should be helping with this, it’s his fucking amp!”

“He’s finding clothes for Baby,” explained Chanyeol, “I’ll go get him, he should be done by now.”

He ran back up to the house before Sehun could object and went upstairs to the 2nd floor. The door to Minseok’s bedroom was closed and he was just about to knock when he distinctly heard Minseok say his name, he paused and listened. 

Baby’s voice was louder and easier to hear through the door than Minseok’s was.

“About Chanyeol?” he asked, “I like _ everything _ about Chanyeol.”

There was a muffled noise Chanyeol recognised as Minseok’s laugh. 

“Like what?” 

“He’s handsome and tall,” replied Baby immediately, “and he takes such good care of me. He’s the nicest, most caring person I’ve ever met. I mean, he lent me his underwear, I’m literally wearing his underwear right now, who does that?”

“So I just want to check,” started Minseok then there was a significant pause before Minseok pressed on suddenly, “You’re not acting like this…..all flirty and stuff…..because you think if you don’t you won’t have anyone to look after you?”

“Eh?” came Baby’s voice again, even muffled by the door he sounded surprised, “Of course not! If I went downstairs right now and told Chanyeol that I just want to be friends then I’m very sure he would still take care of me, he’s too nice he couldn’t help himself.”

Minseok laughed again then said more softly in a surprisingly tender voice, “Yeah, you’re right, I think he would too.”

Chanyeol felt intensely awkward listening to this, he crept back to the stairs then approached the door with louder footsteps, knocked and called out, “Are you done yet? We need your help with the gear.”

“Come in!”

Chanyeol opened the door, ducked automatically under the door frame then stopped.

Baby stood up from where he was sitting on the bed and walked towards him. “What do you think?” he said. 

He had taken off the over large hoodie. He was now wearing his own tight black jeans, a snug black tank top with a slightly metallic glittery gleam and a military-style black fitted jacket with silver accents. Chanyeol looked him up and down, unintentionally letting his eyes linger first over his thighs and hips then over the milky skin of his collar bones exposed by the tank top. Baby had done his make up too, his usually puppyish eyes were now outlined with black eyeliner.

Chanyeol had gotten used to thinking that Baby’s face was cute, so he was surprised to find that with the simple addition of some smudgy black eyeliner, Baby’s whole face could transform. He looked so smoulderingly sexy, that Chanyeol was actually having difficulty controlling his facial expression.

Apparently, he wasn’t controlling it as well as he thought because Minseok came over, hit him on the arm and exclaimed, “Chanyeol, stop eye-fucking my baby!”

“Don’t stop, I’m enjoying the attention,” laughed Baby. 

“You look really good,” said Chanyeol swallowing awkwardly.

“And as usual, no one’s noticed me!” said Minseok.

Chanyeol laughed and looked at Minseok who had also dressed up and further accentuated his cat-like eyes with black winged eyeliner.

“You look good too,” said Chanyeol indulgently, “You both look amazing. In fact, you’re making me rethink my outfit choice.”

He was wearing black jeans with a rip in the thigh and a black t-shirt with an ankh picked out in studs.

Baby came over to his side and hooked on arm through his possessively. 

“No, I like this one, you can’t change. I chose this outfit to match.” 

“Are you fucking kidding me? Why am I moving all this shit by myself?!!!” came Sehun’s voice suddenly up the staircase. 

“We better go help,” said Minseok, heading for the stairs. 

“What are we doing?” asked Baby as they went downstairs. 

“Putting the equipment for the gig in the van,” explained Chanyeol.

“Are we going now? It’s still early.”

“We’ll get set up then we can have dinner before the show, we’re the support act so we’re going on early.”

They got everything packed away in the van and of course, Jongdae showed up the minute they were done. 

Because the van was so loaded up, usually Chanyeol drove it alone and the rest of the group went in the car Sehun always borrowed. But this time Minseok had purposefully removed the mic stand from its usual spot in the van’s front passenger seat and had managed to manoeuvre it into the car’s boot instead. Chanyeol was pretending he hadn’t noticed this but he was sure Minseok had done it so Baby could ride with him. 

Chanyeol was already in the driver’s seat when Baby came over to hop in the passenger’s side.

“Get in the back, you’re too distracting!” called Chanyeol teasingly through the open window when Baby reached for the door handle. 

“There’s no room in the back,” said Baby, indicating towards the back of the van full of band equipment. He gave Chanyeol a sudden cheeky grin, and added, “Oh well I guess I can ride in Sehun’s car.”

“Alright, get in the front,” Chanyeol snapped, watching Baby’s smile grow suddenly wider. 

Baby opened the van door and clambered inside. 

“But don’t look at me,” added Chanyeol warningly.

“Why? Don’t you like looking at me?” pouted Baby, turning in his seat and leaning in toward Chanyeol.

“I’m not looking.”

Baby slid his fingers into the collar of Chanyeol’s t-shirt and tugged. Chanyeol found himself mere centimetres from Baby’s face. He leant in automatically only coming to his senses when he saw Baby’s triumphant smile. 

“Don’t kiss him, don’t kiss him, don’t kiss him,” he told himself. He put a hand on Baby’s flat chest and pushed him back in his seat. 

“Alright, get out. You’re riding in Sehun’s car.”

“No” whined Baby, “I’ll be good, look I’m facing the front,” he said, pointing at the windscreen.

When they got to the venue, Baby made himself surprisingly useful, he took direction well and was both quick and neat at unrolling lead cords and arranging the equipment. 

He also found Chanyeol’s missing box of picks which had gone under one of the van seats and under Chanyeol’s instruction carefully blue-tacked a couple to Chanyeol’s mic stand in case he dropped his. 

There was a bap burger place only 3 shops down from the bar, so they went there for a light dinner while the headlining band did their soundcheck.

Chanyeol watched Baby patting his burger down carefully while it was still in its wrapper. 

“If you know to do that,” said Chanyeol pointing at Baby skilfully compacting his burger, “then you must have had these before, even if you don’t remember.” 

“Well if he’s had a bap burger before then we know he’s definitely not a secret chaebol,” exclaimed Jongdae. 

“You’ve been watching too many dramas,” replied Chanyeol acidly. 

“Watching dramas?” scoffed Jongdae, he gesticulated wildly with his burger, “Chanyeol, he has amnesia for god’s sake! That’s the biggest drama cliché ever! We’re _ living _ a fucking drama!”

“And he might be a ghost,” piped up Sehun.

“Or a North Korean spy!” added Minseok.

“You’re all wrong,” said Baby seriously, “I’m actually an android made as an exact replica of Chanyeol’s childhood love who died tragically in a car crash!”

Chanyeol laughed, but then glancing at the clock he announced. 

“It’s almost time, you better all finish your food before one of us accidentally switches bodies or something!”

As always time before a show seemed to just evaporate and soon it was only a few minutes before their set. Backstage Chanyeol was getting those fluttery anticipation feelings he always got before a gig. He bent over, looking down at his legs absentmindedly, thinking about the setlist. 

Baby was watching him. 

“Are you worried people will notice your bowlegs?” he asked suddenly, taking Chanyeol out of his reverie. 

“No,” he said flatly, “I wasn’t...but I am now! Why would you say that?”

“It’s ok, no one’s perfect. If it helps at all, I have no butt,” pointed out Baby helpfully. 

Chanyeol laughed, “That doesn’t help actually, and you do so have a butt.”

“I don’t…really! Look,” he said turning on the spot to show Chanyeol his butt. “See its all flat.”

Chanyeol looked at it for a few seconds. He thought Baby had a nice butt. 

“It’s really cute, like the rest of you,” he said, then turned Baby back around and pulled him in against his chest, he let his hands wander down to pat Baby’s butt firmly with both hands. 

“What are you doing?” asked Minseok, with one eyebrow raised.

“He’s touching my butt for luck,” laughed Baby.

“What butt?” replied Jongdae scathingly. 

“See! I told you.”

“C’mon stop groping him we’re going on in a minute,” reprimanded Minseok. 

Chanyeol released Baby, looking down at him he asked, “Are you going to watch from here?”

“Nah I want to watch from the crowd,” replied Baby decidedly. 

“Ok well, I’ll meet you out there after the set. My wallet’s in my guitar case if you want to get drinks.”

Baby made a sudden lunge for Chanyeol’s neck, pulling him down to his height he kissed him quickly on the cheek. Baby breathed, “Knock ‘em dead,” against his skin before slapping him sharply on the butt. 

Chanyeol was too surprised to move for a second, then he brought his hand up to touch his cheek. Baby had already run off. Moving on autopilot he picked up his guitar.


	4. Wednesday- Part 2

To say the set went well was an understatement, Chanyeol couldn’t remember them ever playing this well. The crowd was surprisingly responsive considering they were a support band and relatively unknown. 

He wasn’t used to their songs being sung by Jongdae and it didn’t help that Jongdae hadn’t bothered to learn any of the lyrics, but they still sounded incredible. As always, the set was over too quickly and Chanyeol felt on top of the world. After they packed up, he left the other’s backstage and ran off to find Baby.

He looked around the crowded room for Baby, but he didn’t need to look for long. Within seconds Baby had appeared and thrown his arms around Chanyeol’s neck, exclaiming, “You were amazing!”

Chanyeol steadied himself, caught off guard by Baby’s weight thrown so suddenly against him.

“I didn’t know you guys were that good!” gushed Baby, “And you!” he added releasing Chanyeol and poking him teasingly in the stomach, “You were soooo sexy!”

“Did Sehun look sexy playing his drums?” asked Chanyeol, before he could stop himself. 

“I wouldn’t know,” said Baby, shrugging, “I couldn’t take my eyes off you for a second.”

Chanyeol considered this and couldn’t contain the smile that bloomed on his lips. “That was a really good answer,” he conceded. 

Baby tried to wrap his arms around his neck again and stumbled. Chanyeol caught him around the waist and held him steady while Baby laughed. 

“What have you been drinking?” asked Chanyeol, realising Baby was very wobbly on his feet and even more effusive than usual. 

“Beer!”

“How many?” asked Chanyeol suspiciously.

“Just one.”

“Oh god, you’re such a lightweight.”

Baby giggled happily. 

“You guys were really amazing!”

“Thanks, you said.”

“And Jongdae he’s got a nice pitch and his lower register is really well supported.”

“Uh ok,” said Chanyeol surprised by this sudden vocal assessment, “Just don’t tell him that.”

Just then the sound of the headlining band starting up caused a sudden influx of people into the middle of the room. 

“Come on,” said Chanyeol slipping an arm around Baby, “let’s find somewhere to sit.” 

He had the advantage of height, so he could see over the crowd and he quickly spotted a booth that was just been vacated nearby. He steered Baby towards it. He pushed a gleeful and rather grabby Baby into the booth. 

“Have you got my wallet?” he asked, looking at Baby’s jacket. 

“It’s here,” said Baby, climbing up and turning to kneel on the booth pushing his denim-clad butt out at Chanyeol, a wallet shaped bulge noticeable in his left back pocket. 

Chanyeol extricated his wallet with difficulty while Baby laughed exuberantly. 

“You stay here and mind the booth, I’m going to the bar,” he called over the sound of the next band starting their set. 

It was good timing, the crowd around at the bar had thinned out and managed to get his drinks reasonably quickly. He got a bottle of beer, a bottle of soju, an empty glass and a glass of water. He went back to the booth balancing his drinks carefully. 

He squeezed back into the booth next to Baby who leant against him, rubbing his arm affectionately.

“Look what I got you,” said Chanyeol, placing he glass of water in front of Baby.

“What is it?”

“Yummy, hydrating, non-alcoholic water.”

Baby pushed it away pouting.

“I don’t want it,” he said flatly, “I want that,” he added pointing at the bottle of soju.

“There’s no way am I letting you drink Soju if you’re this squiffy off one beer.”

“But I feel like I remember this,” said Baby staring hard at the bottle.

“You’re going to remember having a hangover if you’re not careful,” laughed Chanyeol. 

To distract Baby, he opened the beer and said, “I’ll show you how to make Somek, if you like?”

He showed Baby how to measure out a shot glass of Soju then pour it into the empty glass and fill the rest up with beer. 

Baby made gimme motions with his hands. 

“Now you can only have a sip of this ok?” relented Chanyeol, sliding the glass towards him. 

“Ok!” agreed Baby taking the glass enthusiastically. 

Sehun came over with his own drink and clambered into the booth to sit opposite Baby and Chanyeol. 

“Have you seen Luhan?” asked Sehun casually, looking out into the crowd. 

“No, I don’t think he’s here,” replied Chanyeol, “at least I haven’t seen him.”

“He said he was coming,” said Sehun, looking annoyed. 

Baby rested his head heavily against Chanyeol’s shoulder, and Chanyeol looked over at him, suddenly catching sight of the empty beer glass on the table in front of Baby.

“Did you just drink all that?!”

Baby gazed up at him, his black lined eyes were watery and unfocused. He suddenly smiled tenderly at Chanyeol and exclaimed, “My Chanyeol is so handsome!”

“Baby, I said just one sip!” sighed Chanyeol.

“What’s wrong?” asked Sehun, looking back.

“He’s trashed,” replied Chanyeol, moving Baby’s hand quickly away from where it had been squeezing his upper thigh. 

Baby looked up, and repeated adoringly, stroking Chanyeol’s face now, “My Chanyeol is so handsome.”

He turned to Sehun expectantly, “Sehunnie, isn’t my Chanyeolie handsome?” 

“He’s very handsome,” agreed Sehun indulgently, “and he looks good in those pants, right?”

“Don’t encourage him,” said Chanyeol. 

“He’s so sexy in his tight pants,” said Baby eying Chanyeol’s crotch unabashedly. He put his hand up next to his mouth and half-whispered across the Sehun, “When we get home, I’m gonna get in his pants!”

“Oh my god,” said Chanyeol flatly as Sehun cracked up laughing.

Chanyeol shook his head, resigned to the situation and started making himself another somek. 

“I’ll make it, I’ll make it,” insisted Baby, trying to take the Soju bottle from him. 

“No, you’ll spill it.”

“I won’t, let me make a drink for my handsome Chanyeolie.”

“Alright…fine,” said Chanyeol, relinquishing the soju bottle. 

Baby very carefully poured the soju into the shot glass and Chanyeol gripped his wrist to help guide him in pouring it into the empty glass. Chanyeol pushed the beer bottle over to him but Baby was pouring a second shot. 

“No, no, only one!” 

Baby downed the shot in one go. Sehun roared with laughter and Chanyeol put his face in his hands. 

“What’s going on?” asked Minseok as he dropped down on the booth beside Sehun.

“Chanyeol got Baby drunk,” said Sehun, reaching over to push the soju bottle out of Baby’s reach.

“I did not,” denied Chanyeol, “He’s barely drunk anything, he’s just a lightweight.”

“Oh, Minseok!” exclaimed Baby, as if he had only just realised he was there. He stretched out both hands across the table to him and Minseok obligingly grabbed them with both of his. “Have you seen this boy’s face?! My Chanyeol is so handsome!”

“What are we doing?” asked Jongdae, piling into the booth next to Chanyeol.

“Admiring Chanyeol’s looks,” said Minseok playfully.

“Well, that won’t take long.” 

“Hey,” began Chanyeol offended, but he got distracted by Baby who had managed to reach the soju bottle and pull it back towards himself. Chanyeol put his hands over the shot glass. 

“No more.”

Baby took a swig directly from the bottle. 

He thought Sehun might actually have an aneurysm from laughing. 

Chanyeol threw up his hands, exclaiming, “Fine, whatever, drink it all. I give up.”

“Chanyeol,” said Minseok in a mollifyingly tone, but Chanyeol ignored him. 

“Here, have the beer as well!” Chanyeol continued. 

He slid the bottle of beer towards Baby, then folded his arms on the tabletop and slumped forward to rest his head on his forearms. He closed his eyes ignoring everyone at the table and trying to listen to the band. 

He was especially trying to ignore Baby who after a couple of minutes started rubbing his arm again. He tried to swat Baby’s hand away without lifting his head. 

“Chanyeolie,” whined Baby pulling on his arm. 

“What?” he snapped looking up.

“Look! I made you a drink,” said Baby, pointing at the beer glass which was now full and in front of Chanyeol. “It’s somek like you showed me! For my Chanyeolie.”

Chanyeol thawed completely, he wrapped an arm around Baby’s waist pulling him in against his side and picked up the glass. He took a sip and choked. Coughing he managed to splutter out, “How much soju did you put in this?!”

“All of it!” said Baby happily, tipping the soju bottle upside-down to demonstrate its emptiness. “Don’t you like it?” he asked sounding hurt.

Chanyeol sighed but took another sip and managed to smile. 

“It’s great,” he lied. 

Baby nuzzled into his shoulder contentedly. “My Chanyeol is so handsome,” he said again.

“I think we better take him back to the hospital if he thinks you’re handsome, he must have hit his head harder than we thought,” said Jongdae waspishly. 

Chanyeol ignored Jongdae and turned to Baby instead. 

“Ok, thank you, but you can stop saying that now.”

“Why? I think you should know, you’re super-hot!” said Baby earnestly, gazing up at him.

“I appreciate it, I do, it’s very good for my self-esteem, but you’re embarrassing the fuck out of me,” said Chanyeol quickly, in a low voice.

Baby giggled, “My Chanyeol is so sexy when he’s embarrassed!”

Sehun snorted with laughter and doubled over. 

Suddenly Baby froze, Chanyeol felt his body tense against his.

“What’s wrong?” he asked concerned looking Baby up and down.

“Shh,” hissed Baby, holding up a hand, a rapturous expression blooming slowly on his face, “Listen.”

Chanyeol listened, the band was playing a song he didn’t know.

“Do you remember this song?”

“No but listen, it wants me to dance,” said Baby emphatically. 

“It’s a song Baby it doesn’t _ want _ anything.”

“I think it wants you _ and _ Chanyeol to dance,” piped up Sehun from across the table.

“Yes!”

“Sehun, you’re not helping!” said Chanyeol.

“When have I ever claimed to be helpful?” asked Sehun. 

Baby began to clamber out of the booth, which proved difficult as both Chanyeol and Jongdae were sitting on that side too. He finally made his way out and onto the dancefloor. Jongdae who had taken an elbow in the face was already complaining vehemently when Chanyeol also climbed over him to follow Baby and “accidentally” stepped on his hand in the process. 

Chanyeol scanned the crowd and found Baby by himself nearby. Baby spotted him and grabbed him with surprising strength by the arm. 

“This isn’t really music you can dance to,” complained Chanyeol as Baby pulled him out into the crowd.

They found a spot to Baby’s liking and Chanyeol decided to confess, he shouted over the music, “Ok, the truth is, I really can’t dance.”

Then he watched as Baby sort of jumped about, it was very energetic, but it didn’t look anything like dancing to Chanyeol. 

“Well I can do that…” he said to no one in particular and joined in. 

Two hours later, they finally pulled into the driveway at home. After much spirited “dancing”, Baby had finally crashed, and the others had all agreed it was time to go. It had still taken a while to pack up all their gear and load up the van. 

Chanyeol turned off the engine and looked at Baby, his head was resting sideways against the headrest. 

“Baby?” Chanyeol said, but not too loudly, if Baby was asleep this might actually be easier. Baby didn’t appear to hear him; his eyes were closed and he was breathing very deeply and evenly. 

He got out of the van and went around to the passenger side. There was no sign yet of Sehun’s car. He very slowly opened the passenger side door and undid Baby’s seat belt.

Luckily there was no one there to see because getting Baby out of the car was harder than he thought it would be. He narrowly missed hitting Baby’s head on the car roof and twice almost dropped him before he made it to the front door, which was of course closed. 

"Shit I should have opened the door first!" he said out loud.

Baby stirred and started to wriggle a bit, Chanyeol almost dropped him again. He had to lean against the door, shuffling Baby’s weight awkwardly to get the keys out of his pocket and then get the door unlocked. After 5 minutes he finally made it into the bedroom, out of breath and with aching arms. He deposited Baby as gently as he could on the bed, where he flopped over and lay still for a second before starting to stir restlessly again.

“No, you stay here,” Chanyeol said firmly. “I’ll be back soon.”

He grabbed some clothes and went through to the bathroom to have a quick shower. Once he’d showered and changed, he put the load of washing he did earlier in the dryer then went into the kitchen and filled up a jug with water. He took the jug and a glass back to the bedroom. 

Baby was still on the bed, but he’d removed Minseok’s jacket and his jeans and thrown them carelessly on the floor. Chanyeol picked up the jacket and hung it on the wardrobe doorknob. 

He put the jug on the bedside table and filled up the glass, before climbing carefully onto the bed.

“Sit up,” he said.

Baby groaned and opened his eyes. 

“Up, up,” he prompted, putting one hand behind Baby’s neck and guiding him up into a sitting position.

“Good boy, now drink this,” he said, holding the glass to Baby’s mouth.

Baby pushed it away carelessly. “No,” he whined, “I don’t wanna drink anymore.”

“You’ve got to, or you’re going to be really sorry tomorrow when you wake up with a hangover,” said Chanyeol reasonably. He brought the glass back up to Baby’s face, but he pushed it away again. 

“Nooo.”

“I’m not letting you go to sleep until you do.”

“Oh, can’t we make it a game instead? We can do…you know...this one?” said Baby vaguely.

He made his hand into a fist and shook it up and down in front of Chanyeol.

“Are you miming a handjob at me?” asked Chanyeol, eyes wide.

“No,” scoffed Baby, he paused then added thoughtfully, “Oh but I like that idea too. Yeah, let’s do that.”

Chanyeol laughed.

“What game is this meant to be then?” he asked mimicking Baby’s hand movement.

“You know, the scissors and…things,” replied Baby, he wasn’t an eloquent drunk.

“Rock, Paper, Scissors?” hazarded Chanyeol.

“Yes!”

“You want to play Rock, Paper, Scissors?”

“Yes!” he said again, nodding so much he overbalanced a little. 

Chanyeol grabbed him and held him upright.

“And what’s that got to do with you drinking water?” he asked.

“If you win, I’ll drink some water,” bargained Baby. 

“And if you win?” asked Chanyeol suspiciously, suspecting Baby winning was the point of this.

Baby laughed and said happily, “You have to kiss me!”

“Just drink the damn water!”

“No…C’mon, Chanyeolie _ please _,” whined Baby. 

Chanyeol threw up his hands. “Fine,” he said, “but I’m warning you I’m really good this.”

“What, kissing?”

“No, Rock, Paper, Scissors.”

“So, you’re not good at kissing?” asked Baby, tilting head playfully.

“Oh, just play would you,” said Chanyeol impatiently, putting out his right fist.

Baby did the same. 

“Rock, Paper, Scissors Go!” they chanted in unison. 

Chanyeol won against Baby’s rock by throwing paper.

“Hah!” he said victoriously, thrusting the glass at Baby, “Drink it.”

Baby very reluctantly took the water glass and drank a small mouthful of water.

“No, you’ve got to drink it all.”

“I never said that!” denied Baby immediately, “I said ‘some’ water.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, muttering, “Oh this is going to take forever,” but putting out his fist to play again anyway. 

“Rock, Paper, Scissors Go!” 

This time Baby won and gave an obnoxious whoop of delight when he realised. 

“Kiss me!” he ordered.

Chanyeol leant forward and pushing Baby’s hair back gently he pressed his lips against his smooth forehead for a second then pulled back, smirking. 

Baby screwed up his nose in disgust. “What was that? You’re meant to kiss me on the mouth!” he exclaimed. 

“I never agreed to that,” he said laughing, “if you can only drink ‘some’ water then I can kiss you anywhere I like.”

“_ Anywhere _you like?” repeated Baby, giving the phrase a suggestive sound.

Chanyeol laughed and raised his fist to play again. 

“Rock, Paper, Scissors Go!” 

Much to Baby’s annoyance, Chanyeol won the next two games in a row. He pouted and whined but begrudgingly drank some more water. 

Baby won the next one.

“Hold on I’m not ready,” he exclaimed. Then shook his hair back and closed his eyes, opening his lips slightly in a pout. “Ok, go ahead.”

Chanyeol kissed the top of Baby’s left check, with an audible smooching noise.

“No!” 

Chanyeol laughed at Baby’s exaggerated pouting. 

“C’mon,” he said, putting his fist up again.

He lost.

Chanyeol leant in, aiming this time for his right cheek. 

“No, not on my cheek agai---” Baby started to say before Chanyeol changed direction and kissed Baby’s open mouth instead, just a quick peck before he pulled back.

Baby gaped at him for a second then smiled a heavenly grin and made a grab for Chanyeol’s shoulders to pull him back in.

Chanyeol protected his mouth with his hand and laughingly said, “No, 1 kiss per win!”

“Rock, Paper, Scissors Go!”

Baby won again and whooped out a gleeful, “Yes!” before grabbing Chanyeol and kissing him urgently. Baby’s lips were soft but firm, gentle but insistent. Chanyeol didn’t exactly resist but he wasn’t making it easy for Baby either, he kept his mouth firmly closed against Baby’s persistent tongue. 

Baby broke from the kiss to whine, “Open your mouth.”

Chanyeol laughed. He was almost disappointed that Baby has released him, he was about to give in. He thought of an idea. 

“Hey, here’s a deal for you, if you drink all, and I mean _ all _, of that water, I’ll give you a proper kiss,” he said enticingly. 

Baby looked interested but also suspicious, “On the lips?”

“Yes.”

“Open-mouthed?”

“Yes.”

“Tongue?”

Chanyeol nodded. 

“Ok!” exclaimed Baby and he grabbed the glass of water and sculled the rest. Then he picked up the jug and began to drink from it quickly, taking huge gulps of water. 

“Easy,” warned Chanyeol, suddenly concerned, “hey hey take your time.”

But Baby continued to scull down the water steadily till he reached the bottom of the jug. There was a pause and then he lurched forward suddenly grabbing the jug and shuddering horribly. 

“Ewww,” Chanyeol cried and looked away, covering his ears to try to block the sound of Baby being sick. 

Chanyeol waited a few more seconds then hesitantly looked around. Baby was very still, he was bent forward still holding the now half full jug. Slowly, he looked up at Chanyeol then his eyes filled visibly with tears.

“No, don’t cry,” exclaimed Chanyeol, grabbing Baby’s shoulder. The jug’s contents jolted with the movement, he accidentally looked at it, swilling around disgustingly in the jug. 

“Oh my god!” Chanyeol gagged. “Shit, I’m gonna throw up.”

Baby cried even harder, holding the jug out at a very unwilling Chanyeol.

“No, I don’t want it!” yelled Chanyeol muffled by his hands which were clamped firmly over his own mouth. 

The jug lurched again as Baby shuddered sobbing, horrified Chanyeol made a desperate grab for it and managed to steady it before the contents could splash out onto the bed. 

“Oh, gross! It’s warm! C’mon, we’ve got to get to rid of it!” 

They burst out into the hallway, Chanyeol holding the jug at arm’s length with one hand and pulling Baby, still wailing, along with the other. Baby was making so much noise Chanyeol wasn’t surprised when Jongdae came out of the living room.

“Hey, we’re trying to watch something,” he began before taking in the sight of Baby crying, wearing only a tank top and boxer briefs. 

“What did you do to him?” Jongdae asked accusatorily. 

“Nothing,” said Chanyeol defensively. “He did this to himself!”

“What…is…that?” asked Jongdae looking repulsed and pointing at the jug.

“You don’t want to know,” said Chanyeol, pushing passed Jongdae and pulling Baby into the bathroom. 

He poured the contents of the jug down the toilet, suppressing his gag reflex as best he could and flushed. Then frantically washed his hands.

“Why did you make me drink all that water?” gasped Baby through his tears, sinking down to sit on the edge of the bathtub. 

“Hey, I told you not to drink it so quickly!”

“Don’t yell at me!”

“I’m not yelling at you! You’re yelling at me!”

Baby looked as if he was about to yell back but instead, he dissolved into a fresh wave of tears, his already smudged eyeliner mingling with his tears and streaking his cheeks with black. 

“No…no c’mon don’t do that,” said Chanyeol, he grabbed a hand full of toilet paper and crouched down in front of Baby.

“I’m not yelling, no one is yelling,” he said soothingly, and Baby let him dab at his face with the toilet paper. 

When Baby had calmed down, Chanyeol pulled him up and brought him over to the sink. 

“Ok, now wash your face and brush your teeth and I promise you’ll feel a lot better, ok?”

Baby was very subdued when they went back to the bedroom, he went straight over to the bed climbed on and crawled over to the side closest to the wall. Chanyeol turned off the light and got onto the bed too. 

In the dark, Chanyeol felt the bed beside him and couldn’t find Baby, he patted his hand along and found Baby curled in a ball and pressed right against the wall.

“Is this you sulking?” asked Chanyeol into the darkness.

“No,” whispered Baby his voice was strangely high pitched, and he sounded dangerously close to tears again. 

“What’s wrong? C’mon, don’t cry again.”

“I’m not crying,” said Baby in a voice which proved he definitely was crying.

Chanyeol crawled over to him.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

Baby broke down completely, “You think I’m gross!” he wailed.

“I don’t think you’re gross,” said Chanyeol truthfully. “I think you’re very silly, but you’re not gross.”

“No, you think I’m gross, you’re never going to kiss me again,” said Baby, sobbing out the last words. 

Chanyeol attempted to roll Baby back from the wall so he could hug him, but he was curled up so tightly he first had to prise apart his arms, which were wrapped protectively around his own chest. He finally managed to pull him onto his back. Baby struggled, trying to curl up again but Chanyeol found his face, wet with tears, and cupped it with his big hands and kissed him firmly on the mouth. He felt Baby stop fighting and practically melt in his arms as he deepened the kiss unthinkingly, opening his mouth to Baby’s insistent tongue. He was surprised to find how insanely good kissing Baby felt. He hadn’t kissed anyone other than his ex since he was a teenager and when was the last time he’d even kissed his ex like this? 

He was utterly lost in it, the heat of Baby’s mouth and the feel of his body against his, he wanted more, he slid a hand down to part Baby’s warm bare thighs. Baby responded immediately spreading his legs and wrapping them around Chanyeol, rubbing his body urgently against his.

‘Oh, shit!’ thought Chanyeol. ‘What the hell am I doing?!’

It took more effort than expected to break the kiss, especially with Baby’s arms locked around his neck. He gently but firmly pulled himself free. 

“See, I don’t think you’re gross,” he said awkwardly, very aware he was still laying on top of Baby. He quickly rolled off him. He was glad it was dark, and Baby couldn’t see him blushing. He was actually a bit embarrassed about getting carried away like that and about how intensely he’d reacted.

“Now go to sleep,” he added firmly. 

He rolled over onto his side, facing away from Baby but Baby rolled after him, pressing his face into Chanyeol’s back and wrapped his arms around him.

“I’m giving you exactly 2 minutes of being the big spoon, then I’m going to roll over and make you my little spoon,” threatened Chanyeol half-heartedly. 

“Ok,” agreed Baby happily. “My Chanyeol is so handsome,” he added after a second, his voice muffled by the material of Chanyeol’s shirt.

“You can’t even see me.”

“I’m picturing you in my head.”

“1 minute,” warned Chanyeol. 

“That wasn’t a minute!”

Chanyeol laughed and closed his eyes, he felt warm and relaxed with Baby’s weight pressed against his back. He didn’t really feel like rolling over anymore.


	5. Thursday- Part 1

When Chanyeol woke up he was lying on his back with one arm around Baby, who was snuggled in against him. He dozed lightly for a while till Baby woke him up again with a series of low pitiful moans.

“Are you ok?” he asked, attempting to sit up and look at Baby’s face, but Baby just buried himself deeper into Chanyeol’s side.

“My head hurts,” he groaned, rubbing his face against Chanyeol’s t-shirt.

“I’m not surprised.”

Baby looked up at him with bleary eyes.

“How much did I drink last night?” he asked.

“Surprisingly not a lot,” said Chanyeol laughing. “You have like zero alcohol tolerance. It’s almost impressively low.”

“Well that explains why this feeling feels so...familiar,” he said, wincing.

“Yeah well, it’s not going to be familiar anymore. You’re a terror when you’re drunk.”

“Why what did I do?”

“You just kept complimenting me!”

Baby blinked. “What’s so bad about that?”

“It was very disconcerting.”

“Why? You deserve to be complimented. You’re so handsome!” said Baby, sitting up at last.

“Oh no, don’t start that again!” exclaimed Chanyeol.

“Aren’t you happy that people think you’re handsome?”

“Yes, it’s not that, it’s just ...,” Chanyeol stammered and rolled over burying his face in the pillows.

Baby was utterly delighted.

“You’re going pink!” he exclaimed, trying to roll Chanyeol back over. “You’re so pretty when you blush.”

“Stop!” groaned Chanyeol.

“Do you want me to say mean things about you instead?” asked Baby teasingly.

“No!” replied Chanyeol, hastily, then looked up curiously. “What mean things would say about me?”

“Nothing comes to mind,” admitted Baby.

“Good,” said Chanyeol with finality.

Baby looked down and played with the bedspread, picking at the piping on the hem with his long slender fingers.

“You could say nice things about me instead,” he suggested coyly, glancing up at Chanyeol from under his lashes.

“Nothing comes to mind,” repeated Chanyeol.

Baby threw a pillow at him but Chanyeol caught it deftly. Chanyeol laughed and put the pillow back into position.

‘You’re gorgeous and I’m crazy about you,’ he thought but he didn’t say it, he was already confused enough about his feelings for Baby.

“You’re a good kisser,” he conceded instead.

Baby looked at him in surprise. “Kisser?...When did we kiss?!”

“You don’t remember?!” asked Chanyeol horrified. “Then no, we didn’t kiss, I was joking,” he added hurriedly. If Baby didn’t even remember that he kissed him he sure as hell wasn’t going to admit to it.

“You weren’t joking! You kissed me! I remember now,” he said delightedly, then his face fell, he covered his mouth with both hands. “Oh my god. Did I throw up?!”

“A little,” admitted Chanyeol. “Ok, a lot actually.”

Baby threw himself down face-first onto Chanyeol’s chest and groaned.

“It’s alright,” said Chanyeol, stroking the back of Baby’s head.

Chanyeol didn’t think Baby was too upset because one of his hands had already started to creep up under his t-shirt. Baby rubbed a warm palm against the sensitive skin of his lower abdomen.

He tried to push the hand away.

“Don’t,” moaned Baby, “It’s the only thing making me feel better.”

“You need a shower, some breakfast, and some Ibuprofen, then you’ll feel better.”

“Or you could take off your shirt,” suggested Baby, peering up at him cheekily.

He grabbed the bottom of Chanyeol’s t-shirt and started to tug it up.

Chanyeol managed to twist out of his grip and jumped right off the bed. Laughing, he grabbed Baby by his upper arms and pulled him off the bed too.

“Nooo,” whined Baby, “I want to stay in bed.”

“You need to eat something,” said Chanyeol firmly.

“Where are your jeans?” he asked looking around and spotting them on the floor near the door. He picked them up and handed them to Baby who took them reluctantly then with surprising enthusiasm ran over to the chest of drawers.

“Can I choose which underwear to wear today?” he asked, opening the drawer without waiting for an answer.

“Actually, I washed your stuff yesterday, it’s in the dryer, so you don’t need to borrow anything.”

Baby’s face fell, he looked down into the underwear drawer with a sad longing look.

“Are you seriously sulking because you have to wear your own underwear?” asked Chanyeol, trying not to laugh.

“No,” denied Baby but his pout said otherwise.

“Alright fine,” said Chanyeol.

“What’s fine?” asked Baby miserably.

“You can choose a pair and wear them.”

“Really?!” exclaimed Baby gleefully, looking back and forth between Chanyeol and the drawer. “Can I choose a pair for you to wear too?”

“No!”

“Ok ok,” he said laughing and began rummaging through the drawer. “What colour are you wearing now?”

Chanyeol looked down at his clothes confused. He was still wearing the black t-shirt and grey tracksuit pants he had put on after his shower last night.

“Grey and Black,” he replied blandly.

“No, I meant your undies!”

“What do you want to know that for?”

“I want to coordinate!”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” exclaimed Chanyeol. He pulled his tracksuit pants down away from his right hip to show Baby the top of his green and black boxer briefs. “Happy?”

Baby gave him a coy look. “You looked so sexy when you did that,” he said. 

“You better choose a pair now before I change my mind!”

“Alright, alright,” said Baby soothingly. He turned back to the underwear drawer. “Don’t look!” he shot back over his shoulder.

Chanyeol sighed but looked away.

“Ok I’m done,” said Baby happily a couple of minutes later.

Chanyeol turned back around.

Baby had his hands behind his back.

“Why are you hiding them?” asked Chanyeol suspiciously.

“I don’t want you to see. I’ll show you them later.”

“Let me guess...when you’re wearing them?” replied Chanyeol dryly.

Baby grinned. “You know me so well,” he said happily.

Chanyeol laughed and slipped an arm through Baby’s. “C’mon, we’ll get the rest of your stuff out of the dryer.”

Chanyeol took Baby to the laundry cupboard next to the bathroom to get his t-shirt, then pushed him into the bathroom to have a shower.

He went into the kitchen and was relieved to find no one was there to witness his incoming freak-out. ‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’ he thought. ‘Now I have to cook again?! Why do I keep doing this to myself?!”

He checked the fridge, the tomatoes were all gone, but there were still eggs. He hunted around some more and found bacon in one of the drawers. It had a note stuck to it that read, “Jongdae’s Bacon. Touch and you will DIE”.

He searched how to cook bacon on his phone.

“Oh my god! What is that heavenly smell?!” exclaimed Baby, 10 minutes later as he entered the kitchen.

“Bacon!” replied Chanyeol happily. His second foray into cooking was going as well as the first. The bacon was cooking nicely, and he had managed to crack two eggs perfectly with no shell in them.

Baby came up and rubbed his back. “Can I back-hug you while you’re cooking?” he asked sweetly.

Chanyeol considered this request.

“Yes, but as soon as the toast pops you need to butter it, ok?”

“Ok!”

Baby wrapped both arms tight around his waist and Chanyeol could feel him trying to peer over his shoulder. 

He fried both the eggs while his audience made suitably appreciative and impressed noises.

When the toaster popped, Baby gave him an extra tight squeeze before releasing him. Baby got the plates and the butter and buttered the toast.

“Good timing,” said Chanyeol, tipping an egg and some bacon on each plate as Baby handed them to him.

This breakfast was even better than the day before’s had been, but Chanyeol suspected it had nothing to do with his cooking and everything to do with the delicious bacon.

“I changed my mind, can we have _ this _ for every meal instead?” asked Baby, happily munching.

When they were done Chanyeol stood up and said, “We should wash up, we need to get rid of the evidence.”

“What evidence?”

“That was Jongdae’s bacon we ate,” explained Chanyeol, going over to the sink and pouring washing up liquid into the frying pan.

“Chanyeol,” objected Baby.

“What? He literally _ hit you _ with a car that he _ stole _ from _ me _! Letting us eat his bacon is the least he can do.”

“You’ve got a good point there,” replied Baby. He found a clean tea towel and helped dry the plates after Chanyeol washed them.

Then they went into the living room, which was miraculously devoid of its usual inhabitants, Minseok and Jongdae.

Chanyeol sat down on the couch and Baby followed him. He climbed up on the couch next to Chanyeol sitting cross-legged facing him.

“You don’t have work today?”

“Nope, but I do tomorrow,” replied Chanyeol, “and we might have a band practise later on today.”

“Will you show me where you practise?” asked Baby keenly.

“Sure, we use the garage,” said Chanyeol.

Chanyeol was just about to get up when Jongdae walked in, he saw Chanyeol and Baby sitting on the couch and announced teasingly, “Oh look it’s our Chanyeol, who’s so handsome.”

He sank into the only armchair.

“He is handsome, isn’t he?” said Baby brightly, apparently blissfully unaware of any intended sarcasm. He ran his fingers down Chanyeol’s jaw and Chanyeol tried unsuccessfully to grab them before he snatched them away giggling.

Minseok came in too and immediately squeezed onto the couch with Chanyeol and Baby.

“Hey, what happened last night? You were making so much noise,” he asked, his tone was light but Chanyeol had known him long enough to tell when he really wanted to know something.

Baby answered for him and not at all the way he would have done. 

“Chanyeol kissed me and I threw up!”

“Seems legit,” conceded Jongdae.

“Hey! It wasn’t in that order!” objected Chanyeol.

“You kissed him after he threw up? That’s really gross, Chanyeol,” said Minseok, looking disgusted.

“I tried to stop him,” said Baby.

Chanyeol threw his hands up in the air. “No, you didn’t!” he exclaimed to Baby. “And he’d brushed his teeth!” he added to Minseok and Jongdae.

“Chanyeol, can you please be quiet? I’m trying to watch something,” snapped Jongdae.

Everyone looked at the TV which was silent and off.

“No, you’re not!”

“Oh,” said Jongdae, he turned on the tv. “There. Happy? Now be quiet.”

Baby climbed off the couch and dragged a still fuming Chanyeol out of the room and through the door to the garage.

“Can you believe him?! He doesn’t even live here!” seethed Chanyeol but Baby wasn’t listening, he turned on the lights and was surveying the contents of the garage practise room.

“Oh cool!” he exclaimed, going further inside.

Chanyeol shut the door behind him. The guitars were still in their cases from last night and the amps piled around wherever Sehun had ditched them, but the drums and Chanyeol’s electric piano were fully set up.

“Whose piano is this?” asked Baby, running his fingers over the keys lovingly.

“Mine,” exclaimed Chanyeol proudly. He came over, sat down on the stool.

“Are you going to play me something?” asked Baby, perching himself on one of the nearby amps.

“Ok,” said Chanyeol, trying not to smile. He loved playing the piano and he’d been secretly hoping for a chance to play something for Baby. He switched it on and began to play one of his favourites by Yiruma. When Chanyeol had finished he’d half expected Baby to clap but when he turned to face him, he was completely motionless instead, staring at him with an almost perplexed look.

He surprised Chanyeol further by asking urgently, “When did you dye your hair red?”

“Um last Thursday, maybe?”

Baby sat up straight, still staring at Chanyeol.

“And before that it was brown, wasn't it? And longer too, you used to tie it back,” he asked quickly.

“Have you been going through my phone?”

“No,” he replied immediately, then he smiled slowly, a look of wonder crossing his face, “I just…I think I remember you,” he added softly.

“What are you talking about?” asked Chanyeol, genuinely confused. “We didn’t even meet till after you hit your head.”

“No, we met before that! I’m sure we have, or…” Baby paused to think about it then added slowly, “at least, I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

“Where? I’ve definitely never met you before, I’d remember you,” said Chanyeol adamantly. He was getting worried; Baby was clearly confused. Maybe this was a side effect of the amnesia?

“I don’t know where it was,” replied Baby, squeezing his forehead as if it hurt.

Chanyeol stood up and went over to him, sinking to his knees, he crouched beside Baby.

“It’s ok,” he said soothingly, he reached for Baby’s arm but was surprised when Baby grabbed his first.

“It had a dark corridor,” he said quickly, “and lots of little rooms either side all panelled in a reddish coloured wood.”

“That’s the music academy where I used to teach!”

“You were there, and there was that song! And you were playing it so beautifully.”

Chanyeol screwed up his brow thinking but try as he might he had no memory of ever seeing Baby before.

“I don’t remember that at all, but I have played that song there before.”

“I don’t remember talking to you or anything, I just remember watching you playing the piano just like now.” Baby smiled again fondly as if the memory made him happy.

“I guess if I was playing between lessons, I can get pretty into it and I might not have seen you if you left before I finished the piece,” mused Chanyeol. “I wonder if you take lessons with one of the other teachers.”

Baby cut him off by throwing his arms around Chanyeol’s neck and almost unbalancing him.

“I bet that’s why I was so into from the second I saw you the other day. I’d already seen you before!”

Chanyeol smiled but found himself thinking that that didn’t explain why he was immediately so into Baby.

“Can you remember anything else?” he asked hopefully.

“No, just you.”

“Do you want me to play it again and we can see if it triggers any more memories?” asked Chanyeol, getting up and gently removing himself from Baby’s embrace.

“Sure,” shrugged Baby, he didn’t sound particularly hopeful.

Baby listened to the whole song with a soft smile on his face but when Chanyeol finished playing he shook his head. “Nope, nothing sorry.”

“Oh well,” shrugged Chanyeol. “At least it shows the memories are in there somewhere. I guess.”

Baby brightened up suddenly. “Can you play me something on the guitar?” he asked.

“Sure, my acoustic is in the bedroom,” he said standing up and pulling Baby up with him.

“You’re just trying to get me back into the bedroom,” said Baby cheekily, letting Chanyeol lead him out of the garage.

“Maybe I am?” laughed Chanyeol.

They went into Chanyeol’s bedroom and Chanyeol grabbed his acoustic guitar from against the wall. He sat down on the bed and Baby quickly joined him, watching eagerly.

“Ok, I’m going to play you something I just made up,” said Chanyeol.

“Just then?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it since last night.”

Chanyeol began to strum out the melody and when he started singing in a low voice, he had to fight back a smile at enraptured gasp Baby made.

When he finished, he looked at Baby who was smiling broadly. “It’s so beautiful,” he said. “What are you going to call it?”

Chanyeol considered this, “Hmm how about Forgetful boy?”

“Eh?” ejected Baby, “Is it about me?”

“Know any other forgetful boys?” asked Chanyeol dryly.

Baby put his hands on his hips and protested, “I’m not forgetful!”

“You forgot your own name.”

“I have a traumatic brain injury.”

“Ok, so I’ll call it ‘Brain-damaged boy’ then.”

“Chanyeol!”

“Ok how about? My forgetful baby?”

“Not forgetful!”

“My baby?”

“Oh, I like that,” smiled Baby.

Chanyeol strummed out a few chords again and sang a bit more of the chorus.

When he stopped to retune a string Baby asked suddenly, “So what are you going to do about this, huh?”

“About what?” asked Chanyeol, looking up with his pick in his mouth.

“About the fact you got me all turned on with your sexy singing, you need to take responsibility,” said Baby matter-of-factly, taking the pick out of Chanyeol’s mouth and dropping it on the bed.

“Take responsibility?” laughed Chanyeol. “You’re making it sound like I got you pregnant.”

“Don’t even joke about mpreg!” snorted Baby.

He leant back on the bed in surprise as Chanyeol had suddenly put his guitar on the floor and leant in towards him.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Taking responsibility,” said Chanyeol in a low voice.

He pushed Baby down, so he was lying on his back and leant over him.

“What are you going to do exactly?” gasped Baby, and it amused Chanyeol to see him getting flustered for once.

“I’m going to find out which undies you chose for a start,” said Chanyeol teasingly, popping the top button of Baby’s jeans open.

“Chanyeol!” called Minseok from the other room.

Chanyeol started to lift his hand.

“Ignore him,” said Baby urgently, holding Chanyeol’s hand in place.

“Chanyeol! Get out here now!” came Jongdae’s very loud voice. It was impossible to ignore Jongdae when he yelled.

“I better go,” said Chanyeol reluctantly, pulling his hand free from Baby’s.

“Nooo,” whined Baby. “This better not be about the bloody bacon!”

Chanyeol laughed and left the room with Baby trailed desolately along behind him. Chanyeol was feeling both relieved and disappointed, he wasn’t sure what it was about Baby that made him get carried away like that or how far he would have gone.

They entered the kitchen where Sehun, Minseok, and Jongdae were all sitting around the table looking intensely happy.

“What?” asked Chanyeol, taking an empty seat at the table.

Minseok jumped up, “I just got a call, a band dropped out of the showcase and they want us!”

“Oh my god! That’s amazing!” ejected Chanyeol.

“Except for one thing,” added Minseok seriously, “We haven’t done anything about auditions yet.”

“Why would you have auditions?” asked Baby, sitting down next to Chanyeol.

“We need a lead singer,” explained Minseok.

“But I thought Jongdae was the lead singer,” said Baby, nonplussed.

“He is just not in our band,” replied Chanyeol.

“I’ve got my own band actually, we’re way better than these guys!” said Jongdae.

“Jongdae was just doing us a favour because we had a gig but no singer. But now we’ve been invited to play at a showcase in 2 days and his band is playing too so we really need our own singer again,” explained Minseok, giving Jongdae a glowing look.

“What happened to your singer?”

Chanyeol was aware that suddenly everyone was looking at him.

“He left,” he said bluntly.

To his annoyance, he saw Minseok mouth, “They broke up,” to Baby.

Baby looked at Chanyeol, startled. “Eh?? You were dating the singer?”

“I don’t want to discuss this,” Chanyeol said with finality.

Baby hit him on the arm. “Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘don’t screw the crew’?”

“He wasn’t the crew when we when started dating!” burst out Chanyeol. He was feeling very attacked. This was the one topic he did not want to be teased about. He stood up abruptly making everyone jump and stormed out of the room.

To his annoyance he could hear Minseok telling Baby about it as he stomped down the hallway to his bedroom. He slammed the door behind him to block out the sound of everyone discussing his private business and threw himself face first down onto the bed.

After a couple of minutes, he heard the door open and felt the bed shift as someone climbed on. Chanyeol didn’t move.

Baby stroked his hair gently.

“Are you ok? Minseok said this only happened last week,” said Baby quietly.

“Minseok has a big mouth!”

“He’s worried about you.”

Chanyeol rolled over and sat up, scoffing, “He’s not worried.”

“You were dating this guy for 2 years and you lived together, and you only just broke up, of course, he’s worried!”

“Minseok seems to know an awful lot about my private relationships. Anything else let slip? Our pet names for each other? Favourite dating spot? My favourite sex positions?”

“No,” Baby laughed, “but you can tell me that last one later if you like?”

“I don’t see why everyone in this house wants to discuss Kyungsoo 24/7. It’s over, he’s gone, end of story,” burst out Chanyeol.

“Kyungsoo? Was that his name?” asked Baby. “Honestly, they’re not discussing it 24/7 this is the first I’ve even heard about it, but if they’re talking about it now it’s only because you’re not,” he said rationally. “You’re going to snap if you’re not careful.”

Chanyeol ignored him and looked away, annoyed because what he was saying sounded so reasonable and he knew he was being a brat.

“Why don’t you tell Baby about it? You might feel better,” wheedled Baby gently.

“Don’t talk in 3rd person! It’s really creepy.”

“But Baby wants to know,” said Baby, he was barely holding back his laughter.

“Stop it.”

“Tell Baby.”

“You’re being very silly,” said Chanyeol, straight-faced.

“Baby’s being silly? Is Baby a silly baby?”

“Stop it! I’m not saying it!”

“Is Baby a silly baby?” repeated Baby

Chanyeol gritted his teeth, trying not to laugh. “You’re a silly baby,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Baby can’t hear you.”

Chanyeol grabbed him pressing his mouth to Baby’s ear, he repeated, “Silly baby,” letting his voice drop to its deepest, roughest tone.

“Urgh,” said Minseok from the doorway. “Is that your idea of dirty talk? You’re gross, Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol recoiled from Baby, as Baby started to laugh, “Yeah Chanyeol, don’t be so gross.”

“No, we were just being sill---” Chanyeol began then corrected himself, “joking around! We were joking around.”

“He keeps saying dirty things to me,” said Baby innocently to Minseok.

“Baby!”

“You know…I’m starting to think you’re _ both _ really weird!” said Minseok. “Anyway, I just came to see if you’re ok Chanyeol. We need to decide about the auditions.”

“Ok yeah, I know. I’m coming back out.”

He stood up and held out a hand for Baby who jumped off the bed and put his arm around Chanyeol’s waist instead. They followed Minseok back out to the kitchen.

Jongdae looked like he was going to mention Chanyeol’s tantrum but Minseok dug his elbow into his ribs and spoke over him, “Ok so if we’re going to find a singer we need to do it ASAP. Any ideas?”

“Well I can post on message boards but it’s really short notice,” said Chanyeol.

“And everyone can message any singers they know just in case someone’s band has broken up and we just haven’t heard yet?” suggested Sehun.

“What are you going to do if you don’t find someone?” asked Jongdae, forever the pessimist.

Everyone looked at him deprecatingly.

“Minseok can sing,” said Chanyeol at the same time Minseok said, “Chanyeol can sing.”

“I don’t want to sing,” they both said together.

“How come no one ever suggests I sing?” asked Sehun sounding hurt.

Chanyeol and Minseok looked at each other warily.

“Because a band like this really needs a frontman and that would be impossible with you drumming,” replied Baby convincingly.

Sehun looked mollified.

Chanyeol squeezed Baby’s right thigh appreciatively and Minseok whispered, “Nice save.”

“Hey I heard that!!” cried Sehun.

Minseok ignored him.

“I know we were going to have a practise this afternoon, but I can't see the point in practicing with Jongdae,” he began.

Chanyeol interrupted, “Yeah, neither can I.”

“I’m sorry did someone say something? I seem to have gone deaf from listening to someone's constant hissy fits,” said Jongdae scathingly.

“Would both of you let me finish! I can't see the point in practicing with Jongdae if we have to replace him ASAP anyway,” Minseok continued quickly.

They all agreed there wasn’t any point so they split up to carry out their plans for finding a new singer.

Chanyeol and Baby went into the living room where Chanyeol’s laptop was. He and Baby settled on the couch with it. Chanyeol picked up the remote and turned on the TV.

“This will keep Jongdae out,” he explained, changing the channel to a repeat of a popular variety show that he knew Jongdae hated.

He booted up the laptop and posted their request for a new singer on a couple of sites for local bands, while Baby lounged against him and watched the show.

During an ad break, Baby asked curiously, “What’s a showcase?”

“Oh, it’s just this thing this big venue downtown does every 6 months or so. They get a bunch of local bands to play all afternoon and into the night. The sets only go for around 20 minutes. It’s meant to encourage people to listen to new bands,” explained Chanyeol. “It would be great if we could get a new singer before it though,” he added, submitting another message board post. 

A few minutes later Jongdae appeared in the doorway. He took one look at the screen and exclaimed, “Not this! It’s a repeat you’ve seen it 1000 times!”

“I haven’t seen it before,” said Baby.

“Yes, you have! You just don’t remember!”

“The doctor said it was good for him to experience familiar things,” lied Chanyeol.

Jongdae sat down in the armchair and huffed, shifting position constantly and staring angrily at the screen.

Something less than funny happened on the show and Chanyeol laughed obnoxiously loud just to annoy Jongdae, Baby joined in.

Jongdae stood up immediately, “I can’t take it!” he shouted, stomping out of the room.

Baby watched him go then turned off the tv and pulled his feet up onto the couch to sit cross-legged facing Chanyeol.

“Alright. Now tell me about what happened with Kyungsoo,” he said avidly.

“You don’t want to hear this,” protested Chanyeol, trying to grab the remote to turn the tv back on.

Baby held him off and succeeded in throwing the remote across the room and onto the armchair Jongdae had just vacated.

“Tell me!”

“It’s a pretty boring story.”

“I’ve been watching that stupid show for the last 20 minutes I can’t get any more bored!” exclaimed Baby, pointing at the TV.

Chanyeol laughed despite himself, “Alright, I’ll try.” He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He tried to make this explanation as quick as possible, he didn’t feel like raking through all this stuff. “We went to high school together and then we fell in love and everything was perfect, we lived together, we were in the band together and then I came from work on Sunday night all his stuff was gone and he sitting here waiting for me.”

Baby was watching him closely; he nodded encouragingly and took Chanyeol’s hands in his. Chanyeol squeezed Baby’s delicate fingers.

Looking down at their entwined hands, he went on quietly, “And out of nowhere he told me didn’t love me anymore and he was leaving, and then he did, and I haven’t spoken to him since. It’s been 4 days, that’s the longest I’ve gone without talking to him since we met.”

Baby made a small noise and Chanyeol looked up surprised to see tears running down his round cheeks.

“Why are you crying? I’m the one who should be crying.”

“I don’t know,” said Baby, wiping his face with his fingers and looked startled to find them wet with tears. “I think I remembered something,” he said miserably.

“What?”

“Just pain,” he said touching his chest. “It hurts”

“Come here,” said Chanyeol, pulling Baby into his arms. “Your pain can keep mine company.”

He held him close gently rubbing Baby’s back, his head resting on his shoulder for a while. He felt Baby’s wandering fingers slip up the back of his t-shirt, but he ignored it, letting him run his soft fingertips over his bare skin. He thought that Baby never seemed entirely comfortable unless he was touching him somewhere. 


	6. Thursday-Part 2

“I knew there had to be a reason you weren’t dating anyone,” said Baby quietly into his shoulder. “It makes more sense if you just broke up with someone.”

“Well you’re not dating anyone,” replied Chanyeol defensively, he paused as a startlingly thought occurred to him. “Wait...are you?!” he asked, pulling back from the embrace.

“No,” said Baby adamantly.

“You don’t know that!” exclaimed Chanyeol. “I guess you won’t know till you get your memory back.”

“I think I’d remember if I was dating someone,” scoffed Baby.

“Baby you don’t even remember your name.”

“I do, it’s Baby!”

Chanyeol sighed, there didn’t seem to be any point arguing that point with Baby. Still, the sudden realisation that Baby might actually be in a relationship with someone else was really disturbing him. Baby might have had a hard time believing he was single but Chanyeol was having an equally hard time believing Baby was. After all he was very attractive, just the right combination of sexy and cute and very affectionate too, it made absolute sense that he’d be dating.

Baby was watching him, and he suspected he wasn’t hiding his concern well because Baby suddenly burst out, “I’d know if I was dating someone, ok? I’d feel it, I hurt my head not my heart.”

“Alright,” conceded Chanyeol and attempted to put the thought out of his head. But he couldn’t help thinking if Baby got him memory back and he was dating someone, who would he choose?

“I’m not a cheater,” grumbled Baby. “If I was seeing someone else, I wouldn’t want to do all these things with you.”

He held out his arms to Chanyeol who obligingly hugged him, pulling him down on top of him. 

Baby laughed gleefully and tickled Chanyeol causing him to wriggle around on the couch violently.

Sehun walked in and launched himself onto the armchair then hastily jumped up and removed the tv remote he had just sat on.

“Sehun, get out,” said Chanyeol, still trying to fend off Baby’s tickle attack.

“Why is everyone being so mean to me today?” pouted Sehun, ignoring Chanyeol’s order and sitting back down.

“Who else is being mean to you?” asked Baby, mercifully releasing Chanyeol who quickly scrambled up the couch out of his reach. 

“Well Jongdae for starters, he’s acting really passive aggressive and keeps talking about bacon. Do you have any idea what he’s on about?”

“Nope,” said Chanyeol, avoiding looking at Baby who he suspected would give the game away.

“Anyway, they want to go to a noraebang tonight, are you guys in?” asked Sehun.

“I’m surprised you want to go,” said Chanyeol suspiciously.

“Minseok said he’d buy me food.”

“Ah, that explains it then.”

“You two should come too, so I’m not the 3rd wheel,” said Sehun.

“Is being the 5th wheel any better?” laughed Baby.

“Yeah, well speaking of wheels,” said Sehun, turning to Chanyeol. “We need you to drive us. I’ve taken my brother’s car back.”

“And the truth comes out.”

“C’mon you’re not doing anything else,” said Sehun, he turned to Baby. “You want to come to the noraebang, don’t you Baby?

“No, not really,” said Baby bluntly, surprising them both. “I don’t remember any songs,” he added in explanation.

Sehun wasn’t giving in. “There’s more to noraebang than just singing,” he said. “You can play the Tamborine!”

Baby showed his displeasure with his suggestion by screwing up his nose.

“You can eat! They have food!” continued Sehun, “and drink, you can drink!”

“Non-alcoholic drinks,” added Chanyeol loudly.

“Yeah, you’re not really selling this,” said Baby dismissively.

Sehun looked around with the air of someone clutching at straws, his gaze fell on Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol will be there!”

“Chanyeol won’t go without me,” replied Baby confidently.

“Yes, he will! Chanyeol loves noraebang.”

Baby turned to Chanyeol questioningly. “Do you, Chanyeol?”

“That’s a bit of an overstatement, but yeah I like noraebang,” replied Chanyeol.

“Will you sing?”

“Of course, I’ll sing.”

Baby smiled. “I’ll go to hear Chanyeol sing again,” he said adoringly.

Sehun jumped up clearly looking to escape before anyone changed their minds. “Great!” he said, “We’re leaving soon so you might want to get changed,” he added eying Chanyeol’s track pants.

“I don’t need to get changed I’m wearing this,” said Chanyeol.

“Really?” asked Sehun, “You look like you just rolled out of bed.”

“That’s because he wore that to bed last night,” said Baby helpfully.

“Whose side are you on anyway?” asked Chanyeol.

“Yours, always,” said Baby indulgently.

“Fuck off, Sehun. We’re going to a noreabang, not a ball!” Chanyeol called after Sehun as he departed.

But as soon as Sehun was out of the room he turned to Baby and said, “You don’t think I need to get changed, do you?”

“No, it’s ok, I still like you even when you look like crap,” said Baby, smiling sweetly.

“I look like crap?!” blurted out Chanyeol in horror, he leapt up. “I’m gonna change.”

He ran into the bathroom to wash his face and fix his hair. When he was done he went down the hallway to his bedroom. Baby was standing next to his bed looking at clothes which he had laid out.

“What are you doing?” asked Chanyeol suspiciously, trying to peer around Baby at the bed.  
“I made an outfit for you!” Baby exclaimed happily, stepping aside to show Chanyeol.

It wasn’t as bad as Chanyeol expected, it was a pair of blue skinny leg jeans, no doubt chosen because in addition to the rips in each knee there was also a large rip across one of the thighs. There was also a white and black striped t-shirt that Chanyeol had forgotten he owned. Chanyeol looked back and forth between the striped shirt on the bed and the one Baby was wearing.

“Couples shirts!” said Baby.

“No,” said Chanyeol succinctly. He tried to go over to the wardrobe, but Baby herded him towards the bed instead.

“Please!” begged Baby loudly and repeatedly, holding his hands up in a pleading motion and moving towards Chanyeol so determinedly that Chanyeol backed right up against the bed. He sat down on it and scooted back towards the wall, Baby following him still repeating “Pleeeeease.”

“No!” he said firmly.

“Please!”

“No!”

“Pleeeease!”

Chanyeol suddenly kissed Baby on the mouth, which was extremely effective in shutting him up. He released him and Baby looked surprised for a second, his brown eyes wide then he smiled coyly. Chanyeol could feel his cheeks already starting to heat up. Effective or not it had been a bad idea.

“I only did that because you were being noisy!” exclaimed Chanyeol, at least as loudly as Baby had been.

“You’re totally hot for me,” said Baby, smirking.

“I am not.”

“You’re hot for me.”

“I’m not.”

“You _like_ me.”

“I don’t,” he said weakly.

“Chanyeol loves Baby!”

“No third-person!”

“Chanyeol and Baby sitting in a tree….” Baby began singing.

Chanyeol kissed him again, he didn’t want to hear the rest of that song. Baby made a triumphant noise in the back of his throat and responded so enthusiastically that Chanyeol almost fell off the bed.

“Chanyeol! Baby! We want to go now,” came Sehun’s voice from the hallway.

Chanyeol pushed Baby off him and rolled off the bed. He grabbed the jeans.

“You’re going to wear the shirt, right?” asked Baby.

“Yeah,” he shrugged, looking over his shoulder at Baby.

When they came out of the bedroom a minute later, Sehun took one look at them and announced, “Yeah, I’m retracting my invitation, we’ll just walk there.”

Chanyeol laughed and Baby slipped a hand into his.

Minseok and Jongdae joined them as they were getting into the van.

“Aww,” said Minseok, catching sight of Chanyeol and Baby, he nudged Jongdae hard in the ribs. “Why won’t you ever where couples’ outfits with me?”

“Exhibit A,” replied Jongdae, pointing at Baby and Chanyeol as he slid into the backseat next to Sehun. “They look absolutely ridiculous.”

“I think it’s cute,” said Minseok, climbing into the van too and pulling the door closed.

“Thank you,” said Baby, turning in the front passenger seat to smile at Minseok.

“Besides they’re not even a couple!” continued Jongdae, not listening to anyone else. “They’ve known each other for 2 days and that one,” he said pointing at Baby, “doesn’t even know his own name.”

“It’s Baby,” said Sehun, Baby, Minseok, and Chanyeol at once.

“It’s _not_ Baby, _no one’s_ name is Baby! This is _not_ an 80’s movie, this is _not_ Dirty Dancing!” yelled Jongdae, gesticulating far too wildly given how cramped the backseat was. 

Sehun pressed himself against the window and Minseok ducked.

“Hey! you’re the one which hit him with a car, which caused all this!” said Chanyeol, swivelling around in the driver’s seat to face Jongdae.

“He has a brain injury so I can understand him being a bit crazy, you on the other hand! What’s your excuse?!” shot back Jongdae.

“My theory is that the hair dye has leeched into his brain,” said Sehun, speculatively.

“Sehun!” exclaimed Minseok.

“Oh what?! Everyone’s allowed to bash Chanyeol but me?!”

“Pipe down in the backseat! Or so help me god I will turn this car around,” threatened Chanyeol.

“We haven’t even gone anywhere!”

Fuming Chanyeol started the engine and backed out the van out of the driveway. There was a tense silence which Baby brought attention to by remarking on it. “This isn’t a very good mood for noraebang,” he said, pouting.

“What are you talking about? We always do this,” replied Chanyeol.

“Yeah, you’ve got to get suitably riled up before noraebang,” added Sehun.

“People sing better when they’re feeling bitter and resentful,” contributed Jongdae.

“Oh,” said Baby, playing with his bangs, “I guess I’d forgotten all that about noraebang, this is going to be fun.” He turned around in his seat. “Jongdae, we ate your Bacon.”

“You, what?!!!” exclaimed Jongdae.

Chanyeol glanced at Baby quickly and their eyes met for a second, both laughed.

“That’s the spirit,” said Chanyeol.

Jongdae muttered darkly the whole way there about how expensive bacon is and how he bought it especially, while Minseok tried to mollify him.

They pulled up at the noraebang and parked in the carpark it shared with the restaurants on either side. It was Chanyeol’s favourite noraebang, partly because it was pretty cheap and had a good selection of songs but mostly because it was the only noraebang in the area to have a carpark. It also had decent snacks and drinks.

They all trooped into the building, which was covered in neon lights and a massive pink microphone stuck on the roof. After they’d paid for a few hours of noraebang, Jongdae suggested they order drinks before they go in.

“What are you going to get?” Minseok asked Baby.

“I’m not drinking anymore,” announced Baby loftily, before getting distracted by the picture menu. “Oh! I want this blue one!”

“No, that’s a cocktail, it’s got alcohol in it,” explained Chanyeol.

“But blue is my favourite flavour,” exclaimed Baby, staring longingly at the picture.

“Blue isn’t even a flavour!”

“Please!” he begged, turning the full force of his puppyish stare on Chanyeol.

Chanyeol gave in somewhat pathetically. “Alright, you can have one drink,” he agreed, “but not the blue one. When it comes to drinks the more brightly coloured they are, the more dangerous they are, just like in nature.”

“Ok, then I want that one,” said Baby decisively, pointing at a brown drink.

“That’s straight whisky!”

“Alright, how about I share the blue drink with Baby, so he’ll only be drinking half?” offered Sehun, peering over Baby’s head at the drink menu.

“You’re just trying to score free drinks off me,” said Chanyeol grumpily.

“I don’t deny it, but if you’d prefer he have the whole drink…?” reasoned Sehun.

“Fine,” said Chanyeol, giving in. “Baby, you can have blue one but only if you share it with Sehun.”

“Ok,” said Baby happily, “…and the brown one.”

“No!”

After ordering drinks, they all went into Minseok’s favourite noraebang room, which was quite tastelessly covered zebra print, from the walls to the couches.

Minseok and Jongdae immediately started pouring over the songbook and loading up a queue of songs. Sehun grabbed the menu and started looking at the food.

“I don’t know why this is your favourite room,” said Sehun to Minseok. “The phone has been broken for months! How am I meant to order food?!”

“Just get off your ass and go order at the front desk.”

Sehun ignored him and pulled out his mobile phone. “I’ll try and ring them from this,” he muttered. “Damn it! It’s engaged.”

“You’re so lazy!”

“Why don’t you go then?”

“I can’t, I’m singing,” said Minseok grabbing the mic as the first song he had added came up.

The atmosphere was good even though Baby seemed little bored. He refused to look at the songbook, insisting he didn’t remember any songs and wouldn’t even touch the tambourine Sehun tried to entice him with while he redialled the front desk every couple of minutes.

After a couple of songs, Baby moved his hand along the couch finally making contact with the rough denim of Chanyeol’s jeans and creeping determinedly towards the large tear in the thigh.

Chanyeol picked up Baby’s his hand and dropped it unceremoniously back into Baby’s own lap. 

Baby sighed then, leant over suddenly and said to Chanyeol in a sing song voice, “You like me!”

Chanyeol ignored him, pretending to watch Sehun swearing at his phone and aggressively redialling.

“Chanyeol loves Baby!”

“Are you trying to annoy me into kissing you?”

“Yes, is it working?

“No.”

Baby sighed and clearly decided to try something new because when he spoke again, he said raising his voice, “I’ll let you put it in my butt!”

“Baby!” hissed Chanyeol, trying to put his hand over his mouth.

“You know how to shut me up,” laughed Baby, dodging away from his hand.

Jongdae shot them a nasty look and kept on singing.

“C’mon stop it. I’m not into PDA and you might have noticed my friends…and Jongdae, are in this room.”

“Sehun, can I have the songbook?” asked Baby suddenly and Chanyeol was almost disappointed to think he was giving up so easily.

Sehun passed Baby the songbook which he opened out as wide as it went then held up in front of his and Chanyeol’s faces to block them from the other’s sight.

“Better?” he asked giving Chanyeol an irresistible smile.

“Much,” breathed Chanyeol rolling his eyes. He leant forward and kissed him gently, only slightly impeded by the fact Baby wouldn’t stop smiling.

“I can see what you’re doing behind there,” said Jongdae.

“We’re choosing a song!” laughed Baby into Chanyeol’s lips. He grabbed Chanyeol’s waist, pulling him in closer and kissing him so hard he almost dropped the songbook. Chanyeol was getting that carried away feeling again, he broke from Baby’s lips to lick the smooth skin of his neck. Baby moaned encouragingly and Chanyeol sucked a particularly sensitive spot he’d found behind Baby’s right ear. Baby shuddered and Chanyeol wanted to do whatever he could to make Baby quiver against him so deliciously again. His hands slipped down from Baby’s hips to squeeze his denim-clad butt.

Baby tried to undo Chanyeol’s zipper onehanded while still trying to hold the songbook in place. Chanyeol wanted him to do it but a particularly piercing high note from Jongdae reminded him they were in a room with 3 other people, at least 1 of which would never let him live it down if they went any further than kissing in their presence.

“We’re going need a bigger songbook if you’re going to do that,” exclaimed Chanyeol jokingly trying to lighten the mood. He reluctantly removed his hands from Baby’s butt and pulled Baby’s away from his jeans.

“How big?” asked Baby playfully.

Chanyeol laughed.

There was a knock at the door and Sehun leapt up to let the noraebang worker in with their drinks.

Baby gasped and held his fingers to his mouth. “It’s even bluer than I hoped,” he breathed, staring at his blue drink on the tray.

“Can I order food from you?” asked Sehun hurriedly to the worker has he put their drinks on the small table.

“No, you have to do that at the front desk,” explained the worker.

“Damn it,” groaned Sehun.

“Just go and order already!” exclaimed Minseok.

“I can’t, I’m weak with hunger,” said Sehun, flopping back dramatically on the couch.

“You better get over here and take half this drink before Baby downs it,” threatened Chanyeol, the way Baby was eying the drink was making him nervous.

Sehun sat up immediately. He pulled the blue drink and the spare glass towards him and made to stir it.

“Don’t stir it! I want the bottom bit,” exclaimed Baby, putting his hand over the top of the glass.

“Stir it!” Chanyeol ordered Sehun, pulling Baby back onto the couch and out of reach of the drink.

Sehun stirred the drink and poured his half into the glass, he handed Baby the other glass back.

Baby took it quickly and immediately took a sip.

“How is it?” asked Chanyeol, pulling his own beer towards him.

“So blue,” said Baby happily.

“I’m glad,” said Chanyeol. He picked up the songbook knowing that if he didn’t add a song soon Jongdae and Minseok will fill up the whole queue. He flipped through a few pages then glanced across at Baby just in time to see him pour some of the horrible blue drink into his beer.

“Why would you do that?!” he exclaimed, snatching the glass away from Baby, but it was too late, a cloud of blue liquid was already dispersing through the amber beer turning it an unpleasant green.

“I thought it would turn blue,” said Baby miserably.

“Well, it didn’t! You’ve just ruined it,” said Chanyeol, looking sadly at his murky, greenish beer.

“I’m sorry,” said Baby, “I’ll drink it.” He reached for the glass.

“No, you won’t,” said Chanyeol, hurriedly drinking some just to prevent Baby from doing so.

“Huh,” he said in surprise, it wasn’t actually bad tasting. “Hey, try this,” he said putting the glass up to Baby’s mouth.

Baby took a gulp and smiled. “It’s nice!”

“Put a bit more of that in,” he said, putting the beer glass back down on the table and indicating to what was left of Baby’s blue drink.

Baby poured the rest in and the beer turned a slightly more pleasant shade of green.

Chanyeol tipped half of it back into Baby’s glass for him, then drank a bit more of his own.

“I think green is my favourite flavour,” said Chanyeol in surprise.

“Green isn’t a flavour!”

“Oh, but blue is?!”

“Well you can get blueberries, you can’t get greenberries,” said Baby reasonably.

“I’m concerned for my sanity that that actually made sense,” laughed Chanyeol and he drank some more of his green beer.

Jongdae was preparing to sing one of his old favourites, Hong Jin Young’s song ‘Love Battery’.

Chanyeol groaned, “Not this again!”

Jongdae sang ‘Love Battery at every noraebang session he had ever been to with him.

Baby’s reaction, however, was very different. He sat up alertly listening to the intro.

“Oh, I know this one!” shrieked Baby, he leapt up and snatched the microphone right out of Jongdae’s hands. He centred himself in front of the big screen and launched into a very energetic dance.

Chanyeol laughed at Jongdae who was looking extremely affronted. But he was soon distracted when the lyrics appeared. Baby _did_ know this song. He was singing it better than he’d ever heard Jongdae sing it, which was far too often in his opinion.

Even Minseok didn’t seem to have any notice to spare for Jongdae whining about Baby stealing his song, he actually shushed him.

Baby hit an impressive high note with ease.

“Well I think we can cancel the fucking auditions,” said Sehun to Chanyeol.

When the song finished, Baby turned around to find everyone staring at him.

“What?” he said, holding the microphone out to Jongdae who snatched it back resentfully.

Minseok grabbed Baby’s hands and pulled him onto the couch next to him.

“Baby you didn’t tell us you could sing!” he exclaimed.

“I forgot.”

“This is perfect! You can be the band’s new singer!”

“I don’t know, I’m kind of busy right now,” said Baby uncertainly.

“No, you’re not!” exclaimed Sehun.

“But I like to watch you guys play,” said Baby.

“You can see even better from on stage!” argued Minseok.

Baby still looked sceptical.

Minseok rounded on Chanyeol. “Convince him,” he hissed.

“I’m staying out of this,” said Chanyeol. “I’m happy for him to be the band but I’m not going to force him to join if he doesn’t want to.”

Minseok gave him a dirty glare which soon became a triumphant smile, he had clearly thought of something he thought would convince Baby to join the band.

“Come here,” he said to Baby, pulling him close he whispered something Chanyeol couldn’t here in Baby’s ear.

Baby looked at him. “Really?” he asked doubtfully.

“Yes!” said Minseok emphatically.

“Ok, I’ll join!”

Sehun gave Minseok a high-five. The only one who didn’t look pleased was Jongdae. 

Baby came back over to the lounge Chanyeol was sitting on and sank down beside him.

Minseok and Sehun had already started discussing which songs would be easier for Baby to learn before the showcase.

“What did he say to you?” asked Chanyeol.

Minseok looked up. “Don’t tell him,” he ordered.

“I won’t,” said Baby. He turned to Chanyeol and said quietly, “I’ll tell you later.”

Chanyeol smiled. “Let’s do a duet,” he suggested.

They opened to the duet part of the songbook and looked through some titles.

“Do you remember, “Some”?” Chanyeol hummed the chorus for Baby.

“Yeah, I think so, let’s do that one.”

They added it to the queue and waited while Sehun sang a song and Jongdae and Minseok argued about whether Jongdae could add “Love Battery” to the queue again since he didn’t get to sing it. Minseok insisted they didn’t have time to play songs twice and Jongdae whined. As usual when Jongdae whined he usually won because no one could stand it for long. 

When their song came up and the music started and Baby yelled hurriedly, “I call shotgun on Junggigo’s part.”

“Wait, what?!”

The first verse began and Baby started singing Junggigo’s male part immediately.

“I’m SoYou?!” asked Chanyeol, touching his chest in surprise.

Baby nodded at him happily while he sang.

The Junggigo’s verse ended and the SoYou’s verse started and Chanyeol just went with it.

Even Jongdae couldn’t laugh for long because even though it was probably the deepest that part had ever been sung, Chanyeol sang extremely well. When it got to the rap part Baby graciously let Chanyeol have it.

When the song was over, they sat back down on their couch again and Baby pulled the songbook towards them.

“We should do another duet.”

“We could do troublemaker, I’d make a good Hyuna,” laughed Chanyeol.

“Hell no! I’m Hyuna!” exclaimed Baby.

They looked through the songbook together again.

“I’m remembering loads of songs, and I don’t know all this singing and stuff feels really familiar,” said Baby. “Do you think maybe I work at a noraebang?”

“Maybe you worked here,” suggested Sehun.

Baby looked around the room as if he was expecting to suddenly remember it.

“You could ask the people at the front desk,” urged Sehun.

“Chanyeol, maybe we should,” said Baby.

“He’s just trying to get us to go to the front so we can order some food for him.”

“Well,” said Sehun, “I mean, while you’re out there, I would like some chicken and…”

“And more drinks!” added Minseok.

Jongdae started singing ‘Love Battery’ again.

Chanyeol sighed. “Alright, c’mon,” he said hurriedly, pulling Baby to his feet.

They went out into the gaudy, mirrored foyer. There was a large group of people around the counter, having some dispute over who had put what amount of money in, and a second large group of guys waiting somewhat impatiently for their turn.

“Maybe we should come back in a few minutes,” said Baby, looking at the horde of people almost blocking the counter from sight.

“Yeah, but let’s just wait out here until Jongdae’s done massacring that song.”

Baby laughed. “Suits me, I’d rather stay out here with you anyway,” he said and teasingly backing Chanyeol up against the nearest wall.

He slipped his arms up around Chanyeol’s neck and gave a half gasp of delight when Chanyeol put his hands around his waist and pulled him in.

Chanyeol was so caught up in the moment he didn’t notice one of the guys detach himself from the second group and approach them.

“Baekhyun?!” the stranger said, peering at Baby. “Oh my god, it is you! Where have you been?! I’ve been worried sick,” he exclaimed.

Chanyeol released Baby who turned uncertainly to face the stranger, who was very good looking and almost as tall as Chanyeol. His brown hair was swept up from his handsome face with the sort of easy grace Chanyeol would have killed for.

“Do you know this guy?” Chanyeol asked when it became clear Baby wasn’t going to say anything.

“No,” said Baby looking confused.

“Oh, c’mon, Baekhyun, don’t be like that,” said the guy.

“Baekhyun…” repeated Baby slowly.

“Who are you?” asked Chanyeol, protectively sliding his arm around Baby and pulling him in against his side.

“His boyfriend...well ex actually,” he said soundly utterly bewildered. “Look Baekhyun…” he started when suddenly someone appeared behind him.

They wrapped an arm around him and laughingly asked, “Jongin, what are you doing?”

Then the newcomer saw Chanyeol and the smile froze awkwardly on his lips.

“Chanyeol!” he exclaimed.

“Kyungsoo,” said Chanyeol, who felt like the wind had been knocked out of him at the sudden sight of his ex-boyfriend.

Baekhyun gasped and looking Kyungsoo up and down he gripped Chanyeol’s arm possessively.

Jongin looked at Baekhyun and said jokingly, “I think you’re meant to say “Jongin” now.”

“Who’s that?” asked Baekhyun blankly.

“Me, of course!” Jongin ejected in annoyance, “What’s the matter with you?”

Chanyeol dragged his eyes away from Kyungsoo. He looked good; he’d even looked happy even before he’d spotted Chanyeol.

“He hit his head the day before yesterday, he’s lost his memory completely, he doesn’t know anyone,” explained Chanyeol. “Can you tell me what his full name is?”

“What? He doesn’t even know his own name?” Jongin looked seriously surprised and obviously quite concerned for his ex.

“No, he can’t remember anything.”

“It’s Byun Baekhyun, give me your phone, I’ll show you how it’s written.”

Chanyeol unlocked his phone and opened his Memo notes app then handed it to Jongin.

When he had given it back Chanyeol, he saw he had written Baekhyun’s full name, birth date, and an address, and a phone number. Chanyeol wanted to hate him, seeing as he was an ex of Baekhyun’s and god knows what to Kyungsoo, but his apparently genuine concern for Baekhyun made it a little harder.

“Is this his address?”

“No, it’s mine. Baekhyun and I were living together but we broke up,” he explained. He paused and looked like he was thinking, “What else can I tell you?” he asked helpfully.

“Uh, we don’t have his wallet or phone or anything.”

“I have them!” said Jongin, “He just walked out the other day with nothing.”

“Can we come by and get his stuff some time?”

“Sure, one or other of us,” he said indicating to Kyungsoo and himself, “should be there most mornings this week if you...” he trailed off suddenly at the look on Chanyeol face.

Chanyeol stared at Kyungsoo in disbelief.

“You're living with this guy?!” he asked him, pointing at Jongin aggressively.

He knew this wasn’t just some friend of Kyungsoo’s. He'd never heard him mention a friend named Jongin before and besides for years now all Kyungsoo’s friends were his friends too. He had to be dating this idiot.

The look on Kyungsoo’s face told him plainly he was right, he looked guilty, embarrassed and yet somehow defiant.

“When did you start dating him?!” asked Chanyeol, and then realisation dawned on him and he pressed his palms into his face. “I see,” he laughed despite himself. “Oh god, I’m an idiot. You were already fucking him when we were still together, weren’t you?”

Kyungsoo swallowed so loudly that Chanyeol heard it, he paused for a second then nodded, and muttered, “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You didn’t want to hurt me?” repeated Chanyeol quietly, he shook his head and turned away. He would have walked away too but Baekhyun still had a hold of his arm and held him in place.

“What’s the matter with you? Why don’t you scream at him? Tell him exactly how he’s hurt you?” Baekhyun exclaimed his eyes bright like he was about to burst into tears.

“There’s no point,” said Chanyeol sadly. “C’mon.” He tried to pull Baekhyun away, but Baekhyun broke his grip and rounded on Kyungsoo aggressively.

“Do you have no heart at all?!” he yelled. “How could you do something like this to someone who loves you so much?!”

“Baby, you don’t need...” said Chanyeol, but Baekhyun cut him off.

“No, I’m gonna tell him!”

Despite his small size, he took a surprisingly threatening step towards Kyungsoo and Jongin who both shrank back alarmed.

“You must be insane breaking up with a good, kind guy, like Chanyeol for this….this,” he fumbled for words pointing emphatically at Jongin, who shrank back even further, “…utter _fucktrumpet_!”

Baby stormed furiously from the building, leaving a small shocked silence in his wake. This was broken after a minute by Jongin who said in a horrified and hurt sounding voice, “What did he just call me?!”

“I think he said ‘fucktrumpet’,” replied Chanyeol helpfully. “Um…look I’ll call you about getting his stuff back,” he added.

As he turned to run after Baby, he heard Kyungsoo say disbelievingly, “Were they wearing couples shirts?!”

He found Baby where he expected to. He was sitting perched on the tailgate of rear door to the van, hunched over and breathing hard like he’d run a marathon. Chanyeol came up and leaned against the van next to him.

“Thanks for standing up for me,” he said.

“Well someone had to,” replied Baekhyun miserably.

“Probably wasn’t the best idea though, I don't know if he’s going to give your stuff back after that,” pointed out Chanyeol.

“I don't care,” replied Baekhyun defiantly, he rubbed the toe of his right sneaker hard against the loose gravel.

“Well, you might care when you get your memory back and you’ve got no stuff.”

“I won’t,” said Baekhyun fiercely, then he quelled a bit. “D-do you think I had nice clothes?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah, probably.”

Baekhyun let out a gasping sob.

“Come here,” said Chanyeol soothingly, taking Baekhyun in his arms and hugging him tightly. “We’ll ring him in the morning, I’m sure he’ll give your stuff back.”

He let Baekhyun cry for a while, rubbing him gently on the back, he didn’t think the tears had anything much to do with clothes. He was surprised at how calm he felt, drained but calm. He should have guessed really, of course, Kyungsoo was seeing someone else. Somehow, he felt more embarrassed about not realising it before now than angry at Kyungsoo. He thought he ought to feel like a complete idiot. But Baekhyun hadn’t thought he was an idiot, in fact, Baekhyun thought Kyungsoo was the idiot for letting him go. Suddenly he felt strangely like laughing, the thought buoyed his spirits.

In the van, on the way back to the house Chanyeol said, “Not to rub this in or anything, but I told you your name wasn’t Baby!”

Baekhyun shrugged. “I was close.”

“Close how? Baekhyun sounds _nothing_ like Baby. It sounds more like Bacon! I should call you piggy, not Baby.”

“Baekie,” said Baekhyun. “It sounds exactly like Baby!”

“Baekie? Who is calling you Baekie?” snorted Chanyeol.

“You can call me Baekie,” said Baekhyun sweetly, resting his hand on top of Chanyeol’s on the gear stick.

“Yeah, no thanks Piggy.”

Baekhyun abruptly withdrew his hand.

“I don’t want to be piggy!”

“Too bad, Piggy, I don’t make the rules.”

“_I_ make the rules! And I’m not piggy, you’re piggy!”

The silly argument took them all the way home, at which point they realised they’d left Minseok, Jongdae, and Sehun at the noraebang.


	7. Friday- Part 1

When Chanyeol woke up he was surprised to find Baekhyun already awake sitting up with his back against the headboard next to him.

“Oh, you’re awake,” he said groggily, trying to sit up too.

“Yeah, I’ve been awake for a bit.”

“Are you ok?”

“Yes, I’ve just been thinking.”

“Have you remembered anything?”

“Nope,” replied Baekhyun quickly.

“Oh, I thought maybe seeing Jongin might have triggered some memories,” said Chanyeol casually.

“Well it didn’t, I don’t even want to remember that jerk.”

“Alright, but speaking of that jerk, I think we should call him and see when he’s free for us to pick up your stuff.”

Baekhyun bent over and buried his face in Chanyeol’s side, and said, “Let’s not, we should stay in bed all day instead.”

Chanyeol stroked his hair gently.

“I’d love to, but I’ve got work this afternoon and I think we should get your stuff back as soon as possible. You never know seeing familiar things might bring back your memory.”

Baekhyun didn’t reply, he only nuzzled further into Chanyeol’s t-shirt.

Chanyeol reached for his phone off the bedside table and dialled the number Jongin had given him the night before.

“Here it’s ringing,” he said handing the phone to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun took it and held it up to his ear, Chanyeol heard Jongin’s voice answering the phone. Baekhyun didn’t say anything, he paused for a second then hung up.

“Baekhyun!” reprimanded Chanyeol, the name felt strange to say, he was still getting used to it.

He took the phone back and redialled. “Hi, it’s Chanyeol,” he said when Jongin answered again. “Sorry about that, my phone is playing up,” he lied.

There was a noticeable pause before Jongin spoke, “He hung up on me, didn’t he?” he said, but he sounded almost amused.

“Yeah,” admitted Chanyeol, “So um when we can come and get Baekhyun’s stuff?”

They arranged to meet at Jongin’s apartment at 11 am that morning. Chanyeol hung up and turned to Baekhyun.

“Did you hear that? He’s going to let us pick up your stuff at 11,” he said, looking at the time on his phone. “We should probably get up now.”

“We’ve got ages,” said Baekhyun lazily. “Let’s just relax a bit.” He rolled over, pressing Chanyeol back down on the bed.

“Somehow I doubt what you’re planning will be very restful.”

“Trust me, you’ll be very relaxed after what I’ve got in mind,” smirked Baekhyun. With a deft tug, he managed to get Chanyeol’s t-shirt all the way up to his armpits. Chanyeol wriggled frantically trying to pull his top back down while Baekhyun attempted to pull it over his head.

Just then a rhythmic creaking sound started upstairs, the sounds came right through the ceiling.

Baekhyun stopped trying to pull Chanyeol’s shirt off and paused listening.

The moaning started.

“Oh my god! Is that what I think it is?”

“Yep,” cringed Chanyeol, tugging his t-shirt back down. He lifted his head pulling the pillow out from underneath it and pushing it down onto his face to muffle to noise.

“Oh my god!” repeated Baekhyun, looking up at the ceiling.

“Come under here,” said Chanyeol, lifting the side of the pillow to beckon at him.

Baekhyun dragged the doona up and over Chanyeol, pillow and all, then crawled underneath to join him. Even in the warm darkness under the doona, they could still hear the noises, though more muffled.

“Don’t worry,” laughed Chanyeol. “It never lasts very long.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Poor Minseok!” he paused. “Or poor Jongdae, I don’t actually know which one of them---”

Chanyeol cut him off, “I don’t want to know!”

“Do you think they know we can hear them?”

“Well, they always wait till Sehun’s out before they start so I’m guessing they know the walls are thin. But I don’t think they know how thin the floor is,” reasoned Chanyeol.

“But if you can hear them, then surely, they could hear you and your ex, so wouldn’t they have noticed?” asked Baekhyun.

Chanyeol didn’t reply.

“Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol swallowed uncomfortably and admitted, “There wasn’t a lot to hear,” he paused then mumbled, “or well…anything at all really.”

“Eh?” asked Baekhyun sitting up so suddenly that the doona and pillow fell off completely. “But I thought you and your ex lived here for 3 months together?”

Chanyeol cringed and nodded.

“So, you didn’t?... You haven’t?...for 3 months?!” spluttered Baekhyun.

“It’s probably closer to 5,” admitted Chanyeol.

“5 months?! Oh my god! You’re lucky it hasn’t fallen off!”

Chanyeol laughed uncomfortably.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Take your pants off!” ordered Baekhyun, pulling the doona off Chanyeol.

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol squealed.

The noise upstairs stopped abruptly.

“Do you think they heard that?!”

“I don’t know,” whispered Baekhyun, listening carefully.

Chanyeol took advantage of Baekhyun's distraction and slid quickly out bed.

“C’mon, get up!” he laughed dragging Baekhyun out of the bed too.

“I don’t have anything clean to wear, oh well guess I can’t go to Jongin’s,” said Baekhyun, turning to climb back into bed.

Chanyeol grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him to face the wardrobe instead.

“Oh no you’re not getting out of it that easily,” he said. “Do me a favour and find me a pair of black jeans in the wardrobe, ok? I’ll be back in a sec.”

“Where are you going?” called Baekhyun as Chanyeol left the room.

Chanyeol ran down the passage and out to the tiny backyard and patio. He had seen Minseok hanging up his laundry the day before and noticed one of Minseok’s t-shirts looked a lot like one of his. He grabbed it off the line and went back into the bedroom.

Baekhyun was comparing two pairs of identical-looking black jeans.

“I can’t decide, these ones are softer, but these ones are tighter.”

“What a dilemma!” laughed Chanyeol. “I guess it depends on whether you’re planning on touching me or looking at me.”

“Good point,” said Baekhyun. He held out a pair of jeans to Chanyeol. “These ones.”

“Are they the soft ones or the tights ones?” asked Chanyeol, taking the jeans.

“You’ll see,” said Baekhyun in a sing-song voice.

“Here you go,” he said chucking Minseok’s t-shirt at him.

“I don’t look good in maroon,” said Baekhyun, holding it up.

“Neither do I,” said Chanyeol, rummaging around in his closet, he pulled out his own maroon t-shirt, “but at least we’ll look awful together.”

“Eh? Couples shirts? Again?” squealed Baekhyun delightedly, “I thought you didn’t like it?!”

“It’s growing on me. Besides, I think we need to present a united front today when we go see Jongin.”

“And Kyungsoo,” added Baekhyun.

“Exactly,” said Chanyeol. He remembered how annoyed Kyungsoo had sounded when he commented on their shirts yesterday and while pissing Kyungsoo off had been his original motive in wearing matching shirts again today, he was also pleased to have made Baekhyun happy too.

“You go take a shower, and I’ll get breakfast started,” said Chanyeol resignedly. Inwardly thinking, ‘Why the hell do I say these things?!’

He watched Baekhyun leave the room and frantically searched for more easy-to-make breakfast food on his phone for 10 minutes. He couldn’t remember what they had left in the fridge and he doubted he’d get so lucky as to find anything half as good as bacon again. He made his way reluctantly to the kitchen. Minseok was already there singing happily to himself as he cooked something on the stovetop.

“I’m making pancakes for breakfast!” he said cheerfully.

“Oh, thank god, now I don’t have to!” said Chanyeol, sinking into a chair at the kitchen table.

Minseok looked over his shoulder at Chanyeol. “You and Baby left very hurriedly last night,” said Minseok casually, but he couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. “Tell me all the juicy details!”

“There aren’t any, it’s not what you think,” said Chanyeol yawning.

Just then Baekhyun walked in and Minseok shot a triumphant look at Chanyeol clearly thinking he’d have better luck getting the details out of Baekhyun.

“Sorry we bailed last night,” said Baekhyun, eyeing the pancakes with interest.

“What happened?” asked Minseok innocently.

“Chanyeol was really upset.”

“I wasn’t that upset!”

“Why was Chanyeol upset?” asked Minseok. Clearly confused and disconcerted by the direction this conversation was taking.

“We ran into his ex... what’s-his-face?”

“Kyungsoo,” said Chanyeol.

“In the foyer,” Baekhyun continued, “with my ex…what’s-his-face?”

“Jongin,” supplied Chanyeol.

“Wait,” said Minseok holding up his hands he paused as if thinking about this for a second, “No, I still don’t get it, what exactly are you talking about?”

Chanyeol sighed. “Baby’s name is actually Baekhyun, we ran into his ex-boyfriend in the foyer of the noraebang and he recognised Baby...I mean Baekhyun, and long story short he’s a total douchebag and apparently Kyungsoo was cheating on me with him.”

“Oh my god,” said Minseok, turning to Baekhyun. “You’re Jongin’s ex?!” he blurted out in surprise. He seemed to realise a second too late that he had put his foot in it. “I mean...,” he said somewhat frantically.

Chanyeol blinked. “How exactly do you know Jongin?” he asked slowly.

Minseok pulled a face and glancing around clearly looking for inspiration.

“Minseok!”

Out of options, Minseok settled instead for a mock show of anger.

“Don’t look at me like that! Kyungsoo is my friend too! Is it so wrong that I know his new boyfriend?!”

“Minseok,” repeated Chanyeol warningly.

Minseok folded, grabbing Chanyeol’s arm pleadingly, “I’m sorry, I went to his apartment, but only one time!”

“Why?”

“Kyungsoo left some of his stuff here in the garage and he asked us to bring it to him,” he confessed miserably.

“And you took my car, didn’t you?!” Chanyeol exclaimed. “You told me you went grocery shopping!”

“We did! Only we went to his apartment first,” he admitted. “There’s a supermarket a block away and we went shopping after,” he explained, as if this somehow made things better.

“And then you hit Baekhyun?”

“Who? Oh yes, we hit Baby…I mean Baekhyun?” stammered Minseok. “Jongdae and I were arguing about the way home, so we decided to retrace our route back to Jongin’s apartment and go from there. We were on his street when we hit Baby…I mean, what is it again? Baekhyun? Fuck that’s hard to remember.”

“You can call him Piggy if it’s easier,” said Chanyeol.

“You’re Piggy,” piped up Baekhyun.

“I’m not piggy, you’re piggy.”

“No, you’re piggy!”

“I don’t know what this is, but I don’t like it,” said Minseok, waving his hand back and forth between Chanyeol and Baekhyun. “Now get away from me or I’m going to burn these pancakes.”

They both sat back down at the table and watched hungrily while Minseok flipped the pancakes.

“You know there’s one thing I don’t get,” mused Minseok a few minutes later, “Kyungsoo left here on Sunday and I know he went to Jongin’s, but Jongdae didn’t hit Baby with the car near the apartment until Tuesday, so where was Baby before that?”

“That’s actually a good point,” replied Chanyeol thoughtfully. “He can’t have been at the apartment.”

Chanyeol and Minseok both looked at Baekhyun.

“Don’t look at me! I don’t know, do I?”

“You’ll have to ask Jongin,” said Chanyeol.

“Hell no, I’m not asking that absolute crapcake anything!” said Baekhyun indignantly.

Chanyeol laughed, “Just keep the creative insults to yourself until we’ve got your stuff back then you can call him whatever you like, ok Baekhyun?”

“What's this about bacon? Have you finally replaced mine?!” asked Jongdae entering the room.

Chanyeol explained the whole Baby is actually Baekhyun thing to Jongdae who was clearly disappointed to find out they hadn’t bought him bacon after all.

“And he’s Jongin’s ex!” cut in Minseok, adding the last of the batter to the pan. “Someone better get plates out or no one’s getting pancakes,” he added irritably brandishing his spatula like a weapon.

Chanyeol leapt up and got out 4 plates and cutlery.

“So, you’re dating his ex, and he’s dating yours?” asked Jongdae with a laugh. “It’s like that tv show wife swap.”

“I’m glad my love life amuses you so much,” said Chanyeol, dumping the plates on the table with a clatter.

“Actually, I think you got the better deal. I mean, Kyungsoo can cook but _this_ one is way more entertaining,” continued Jongdae, nudging his head in Baekhyun’s direction.

Once they’d finished breakfast, Chanyeol went off to have a shower noting happily that at least Minseok had been too distracted to notice that Chanyeol had stolen his t-shirt for Baekhyun.

After he’d showered and gotten changed, he found Baekhyun still in the kitchen.

“C’mon, we’ve got to go,” he said pointing at the clock on the stove, which showed they only had 20 minutes to get to Jongin’s.

Baekhyun very reluctantly followed him out of the room.

As they left the house together Baekhyun slipped his hand behind Chanyeol and rubbed the back of his thigh appreciatively.

“Soft ones, huh?” asked Chanyeol.

“I think I made the right choice and they’re still pretty tight too,” said Baekhyun, tilting his head and looking back to admire Chanyeol’s butt.

Once they were in the van, Baekhyun asked, “Do you know how to get there?”

“Yeah,” replied Chanyeol. The GPS in the van hadn’t worked for over a year, but he recognised the street name from back when he’d done food deliveries for a restaurant part-time.

It was only a 15-minute drive, when they reached the right street Chanyeol slowed down so he could check the numbers on the front of the block of apartments.

“This is it,” he said, pointing at a pale brick building on the corner. He parked the van and turned it off.

Baekhyun took a gulp of air then exhaled it slowly.

“I um...I think I’m going to stay in the car,” he said.

Chanyeol did not want to go in there alone, he looked over at Baekhyun, he was twisting his hands nervously. His heart softened at the sight of Baekhyun looking so anxious.

“Alright, you can wait here,” he said gently.

“Thanks,” said Baekhyun.

“I’ll be back soon,” said Chanyeol, opening the driver’s side door to get out.

“Wait, it’s just going to be Jongin right? What’s-his-name? your ex, isn’t going to be there right?” asked Baekhyun hurriedly.

“I don’t know,” said Chanyeol. “He didn’t say.”

Baekhyun appeared to be undergoing some sort of internal struggle he hesitated then announced, “Hold on I’m coming too,” releasing his seatbelt hastily.

At first, Chanyeol thought jealousy was driving Baekhyun’s change of heart but when he got out of the car and ran around to join him on the sidewalk he didn’t grip his arm possessively like he had done last night, but instead he slipped his fingers between Chanyeol’s and held his hand carefully. Chanyeol looked at him, Baekhyun gave him a gentle smile, squeezing his fingers and Chanyeol realised Baekhyun had only gotten out of the car because he didn’t want him to have to face Jongin and Kyungsoo alone, and he was grateful for it. He squeezed Baekhyun’s fingers in return and pulled him towards the apartment building entrance, saying, “Come on, Baekie,” under his breath because he knew it would make Baekhyun smile and it did.

Chanyeol thought about Baekhyun and Jongin’s breakup as they climbed the stairs to the 3rd storey apartment. Had they had a perfect relationship and Baekhyun was completely blindsided? Or had Baekhyun, as he had done if he was completely honest with himself, felt it coming over months of minor rejections and mounting quarrels. He had told Baekhyun that Kyungsoo and his breakup had come out of nowhere, but this was just an extension of the lies he'd been telling himself for months. In truth, he knew that there had been countless signs, but he had ignored them all. He felt that Kyungsoo had handled things badly, but so had he. 

Chanyeol checked they had the right apartment number on his phone and they knocked on the door.

“Coming,” came a voice from inside and a minute later Jongin opened the door.

“Hi,” he said awkwardly, stepping back to let them inside the apartment.

The living room was small but light and airy with white walls and mostly pale coloured furniture. Kyungsoo was sitting on the light grey couch he looked up but didn’t stand up as they entered the room.

Chanyeol noticed that there were two large suitcases, a backpack, and a pile of cardboard boxes stacked neatly near the door. Baekhyun noticed too apparently because without greeting anyone he asked, “So you already packed up all my stuff?”

Jongin seemed to take this as an accusation, he said slightly defensively, “Well no, some of it was already packed.” He pointed to the suitcases. “You went to Jeju for a week, remember?”

“No,” said Baekhyun flatly, lifting open the lid of one of the boxes and glancing almost disinterestedly inside.

Chanyeol thought 2 suitcases were a lot for 1 week and wondered if Baekhyun hadn’t been so blindsided by the breakup after all.

Jongin continued speaking and Chanyeol got the impression that once he’d started, he didn't quite know how to stop. “You went to see your brother. You didn't come back until a couple of days ago and then you stormed off without your stuff because...well because Kyungsoo was here,” he finished lamely.

“What a welcome home,” muttered Chanyeol, determinedly not looking at Kyungsoo.

“So, while I was away you moved another guy in?” asked Baekhyun.

“Well no, it wasn’t like that!” Jongin protested, “I mean, kind of, Kyungsoo left Chanyeol and he had to stay somewhere. It wasn't… It wasn't how I would have planned it.”

Kyungsoo stared at Jongin incredulously and he trailed off lamely.

Chanyeol had a feeling Jongin was getting himself in deep shit. He generously decided to change the subject.

“I figure I should contact Baekhyun’s boss since he must be missing work. Can you tell me where he works?”

Did he imagine the uncomfortable look that passed between Kyungsoo and Jongin?

“Uh he’s a vocal coach at a music academy downtown,” said Jongin somewhat reluctantly.

Chanyeol looked at Kyungsoo. “The music academy where I work?” he asked sharply.

“Yeah.”

Chanyeol exhaled. “I see, so that’s where you met him, huh?” he said, jerking his head in Jongin’s direction.

“Yeah,” repeated Kyungsoo, “I kept seeing him there when I’d pick you up or drop you off and…”

Chanyeol interrupted, “Yeah, I don’t actually want to hear this.”

He remembered a day around two months before when Kyungsoo had begrudgingly agreed to drop him off at work because Minseok needed to use the van. Afterward, Kyungsoo had suddenly been much more enthusiastic about the idea, saying that if he dropped Chanyeol off and picked him up when he worked, it was freeing up the van for the others to use. He’d seemed happier since that day too and Chanyeol now realised how stupid he'd been to think things were getting better.

He turned to Jongin and asked, “Can Baekhyun look around a bit to see if anything triggers his memory?”

“No, I don’t want to,” said Baekhyun before Jongin could reply. “Let’s just get the stuff and go.”

Chanyeol thought Kyungsoo looked distinctly relieved. 

They all pitched in carrying boxes and suitcases down to the van. Chanyeol stayed by the van for a minute closing the back door then followed Kyungsoo back up the staircase to get more boxes. When they came back around the corner into the apartment Jongin was looking earnestly at Baekhyun and speaking in a low voice.

“Baekhyun, I’ve been thinking…” he stopped abruptly when he realised Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were in earshot, then continued awkwardly, Chanyeol was pretty sure he hadn’t meant them to hear this, “…I think you should stay with us!”

Baekhyun screwed up his nose and was about to answer when Kyungsoo exclaimed, “Have you gone mad?!”

“Yeah, have you?!” asked Baekhyun.

Jongin seemed torn between convincing Baekhyun and placating Kyungsoo he looked back and forth between them finally saying soothingly to Baekhyun, “You’re very confused right now.” Then he turned quickly to Kyungsoo and saying in a whisper still clearly audible to Chanyeol, “I don’t know anything about this guy! He might be taking advantage of Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo both laughed derisively.

Kyungsoo said, “I know him! Chanyeol wouldn’t take advantage of anyone.”

Baekhyun added, “He’s not taking advantage of me! He’s been taking care of me. He took me to the hospital and gave me somewhere to stay, and yeah he got me drunk one night, but I’m pretty sure that was an accident---”

“You’re pretty sure?!” interrupted Jongin.

“And he cooks me delicious food,” Baekhyun continued, ignoring Jongin’s interruption. He seemed to feel he had to defend Chanyeol.

“I’m sorry? What?” cut in Kyungsoo. “Chanyeol cooks you delicious food? Chanyeol can’t even make toast!”

“Well I always help with the toast,” replied Baekhyun thoughtfully, he turned to Chanyeol. “I didn’t know you couldn’t make toast.”

“I can make toast,” said Chanyeol quickly to Baekhyun. Then he rounded on Jongin and said, “And we’re getting off-topic here. I’m not taking advantage of him. I’m just looking after him until he gets his memory back.”

He thought he saw Baekhyun’s expression change out of the corner of his eye, but when he looked at him Baekhyun looked away quickly.

“Yes,” agreed Kyungsoo. “Let’s just forget all this about Baekhyun living with us and finish moving this stuff.”

Kyungsoo picked up a box and pressed it into Jongin’s hands. Jongin looked like he wanted to say more but took the box and shaking his head in an agitated way he left the apartment.

After another round of boxes had been carried down Chanyeol stayed behind to move them into their best positions in the back of the van, while Baekhyun and Kyungsoo went back for the last of Baekhyun’s stuff. He was startled to find Jongin hadn’t gone too when he spoke suddenly behind him.

“Chanyeol?” he said softly. “Look after him, will you? He doesn't...well he doesn't hold anything back. He jumps into things with his whole being and it means he gets hurt sometimes.”

“You mean like with this,” asked Chanyeol with a sweeping gesture which encompassed the stuff in the boot, the apartment, and Jongin.

Jongin had the decency to look ashamed. He nodded and said quietly, “Just look after him...please.”

In the car on the way back to the house, Chanyeol thought about what Jongin had said.

“He's not over you, you know?” he said despite himself. He glanced at Baekhyun out of the corner of his eye as he spoke.

“Well, of course, he isn't,” replied Baekhyun, but he didn’t smile or give any appearance of being pleased about it.

“Do you think Kyungsoo is over me?” Chanyeol asked uncertainly.

“I care more about whether you're over him,” said Baekhyun and when Chanyeol glanced at him this time Baekhyun was looking at him intently.

“I’m not interested in dating someone who’d cheat on me,” said Chanyeol simply.

He thought Baekhyun looked sceptical.

Chanyeol didn’t ask him about whether he was over Jongin, he didn’t think he’d be able to answer properly till he got his memory back anyway. He realised he knew barely anything about Baekhyun and Jongin’s relationship, he didn’t even know how long they had been together for. What if they were one of those couples who broke up and got back together all the time? He didn’t want to think about it.

“Well I guess you don’t work at a noraebang after all,” said Chanyeol changing to subject hastily.

“I was close though.”

“Sort of, you got the singing thing right, I guess,” he said, anxious now to stay off the topic of exes even though he himself had started it.

Baekhyun looked like he was considering something, he asked slowly, “I get now why I recognised you, but If we both worked at the same music academy how come you don’t know me?”

“I don’t really know any of the other teachers,” explained Chanyeol. “I only go in if I’ve got lessons booked. Plus, the vocal practice rooms are at the other end of the corridor from the ones with instruments.”

“I guess that makes sense,” said Baekhyun vaguely.

“Hey, since you’re a vocal coach, can you give your opinion of my singing?”

“Sure,” said Baekhyun. “You have a nice stable pitch, but you need to support more.”

“Oh, ok,” said Chanyeol, not quite sure what to do with that.

“I’m remembering a lot about singing,” said Baekhyun happily, “I’ll give you a lesson sometime.”

“Ok, that would be great. Have you remembered anything else?”

“No.”

“Well, where’s your phone? Maybe if you look through it something might come back to you.”

Baekhyun opened the front pocket of the backpack and hunted around eventually pulling out a blue Samsung galaxy s9 in a clear plastic case.

“Hey!” said Chanyeol catching sight of the phone, he wriggled his own phone out of his back pocket while trying to keep the steering wheel stable. He dropped his phone onto Baekhyun’s lap. It was a purple Samsung galaxy s9 in a clear plastic case. “Look we have the same phone!”

“Oh, yours is pretty,” Baekhyun said turning it over in his hands, before picking up his own phone and activating the screen, he swiped a finger across it and sighed, “It’s locked.”

“With a passcode?”

“No, a pattern,” said Baekhyun, drawing an incorrect pattern which the phone rejected.

“Careful you’ll lock yourself out if you do that too many times.”

“How am I going to open it then?”

“You know sometimes I forget my pattern but my hand sort of remembers,” said Chanyeol. “Maybe just try to stop thinking about it and you’ll get it unconsciously?”

“Yeah, maybe,” said Baekhyun uncertainly.

“What else is in your backpack?”

Baekhyun rummaged around in the backpack for a bit pulling out his wallet, his work pass, packets of tissues and gum and looking at them all indifferently.

They pulled up at a set of traffic lights.

“What time is it?” Chanyeol asked, casually.

Baekhyun unlocked his phone and checked. “It’s 12:15,” he said then gasped. “I unlocked it!”

“Told you, you’d get it!” exclaimed Chanyeol. “Do you remember the pattern?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Baekhyun locked the phone, while Chanyeol watched with interest, and drew the pattern again slowly, it unlocked.

Chanyeol laughed suddenly.

“What?” asked Baekhyun.

“Do the same thing to my phone!”

“What do you mean?” asked Baekhyun, but he swiped Chanyeol’s phone’s screen.

“Draw the pattern,” prompted Chanyeol.

Baekhyun drew the same pattern he’d used to unlock his own phone, and Chanyeol’s phone unlocked too.

Chanyeol laughed again.

“We have the same pattern?” Baekhyun asked in surprise.

“Handy, right?” laughed Chanyeol. “I guess If I ever get amnesia, you’ll be able to tell me what it is.”

Baekhyun smiled cheekily. “Oh, if you get amnesia, I’m going to make up so much stuff,” he said.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe that we’re married? And that you cook me breakfast every day,” said Baekhyun wistfully.

“I already cook you breakfast every day!”

“You didn’t this morning,” pointed out Baekhyun.

“I’ll make you breakfast tomorrow. I promise.”

Baekhyun smiled contently. “Is it true that you never cooked for Kyungsoo?” he asked coyly.

“Not once.”

“So, it’s our thing, right?”

“Yep,” said Chanyeol, as they pulled up at the house. He looked over at Baekhyun, smiled and said, “It’s our thing.”

They got out of the van and went into the house. Baekhyun flopped down on the bed as soon as they entered the bedroom.

“Hey, are you forgetting something? We’ve got to get the boxes out of the van,” said Chanyeol. He moved his guitar and his laundry hamper to make room in the corner.

“Can’t we just leave them in there?” said Baekhyun, rolling around on the bed.

“No, we’ll need the van tomorrow to take the gear to the showcase, better to just bring it all in now. Besides, you should start looking through it all.”

Baekhyun showed his displeasure with this plan by sighing deeply but he followed Chanyeol back out to the van anyway.

It took a while to bring everything in and pile it up in a corner of Chanyeol’s bedroom, but once they were done Chanyeol said, “You can go through your stuff in here if you like, I don’t mind if you spread it out.”

“I don’t feel like it,” said Baekhyun, sinking down on the bed again.

“You’re just upset that now you have to wear your own underwear every day.”

Baekhyun cracked a smile despite himself. “No, I’m not…because now you can wear mine!”

“Not going to happen.”

“Why not? I’m sure I’ve got really nice underwear,” said Baekhyun confidently.

“And I know you well enough to know you’ve probably got really slutty underwear.”

“Slutty underwear is nice underwear! What’s even the point of underwear, if it isn’t a bit slutty?”

“Well you’ve got a point there,” conceded Chanyeol shrugging. He took out his phone. “I think I’d better call the music academy and let them know what’s going on with you,” he said, going to his contacts. He dialled his old boss Junmyeon and he answered on the 3rd ring.

“Ah Chanyeol, let me guess you've dyed your hair back to a normal colour and you want your job back,” said Junmyeon smugly.

“Not quite.”

“It’s still red?”

“Yes.”

“I'm hanging up now.”

“No, no wait it’s about something else!”

Chanyeol explained the situation, he wasn't sure if Junmyeon even believed him, but he seemed to accept the story and agreed Baekhyun should contact him once he'd recovered.

“Did he believe you?” asked Baekhyun, once Chanyeol had hung up.

“I’m not sure, it doesn’t matter though we've got medical certificate and papers from the clinic,” said Chanyeol. He picked up his jacket.

“I’ve got to go to work now, here take these keys,” he said chucking Baekhyun his car keys. “Whatever you do, do not let Jongdae have them.”

“Aren't you driving to work?”

“No, the music store is only a few blocks from here I usually walk,” explained Chanyeol.

“Oh, that close?” said Baekhyun, looking interested.

Chanyeol had a feeling he knew why. “You can't come with me!” he said hastily.

“I know,” laughed Baekhyun. “I can't go to work with you...but I could visit.”

“No, you can't!”

“I'll be good.”

“You don't know how to be good. Besides you on your best behaviour would probably still get me fired. I need this job, alright? Promise me that you'll stay here!”

“I promise,” said Baekhyun reluctantly.

“Good. Besides you need to go through all this stuff.”

Baekhyun glanced disinterestedly at the pile of boxes and sighed and took out his phone. Chanyeol was pleased to see he was looking through his phone. He really did think looking at familiar things was the best way to trigger Baekhyun’s forgotten memories. 

“Alright, I’m going now, I’ll see you around 6,” he said. As soon as he turned around, he heard the unmistakable click of a camera.

“Did you just take a photo of my back?” he asked, turning back around quickly.

“Mostly just your butt,” said Baekhyun holding up the phone to show Chanyeol the photo of his butt, zoomed in.

Chanyeol gasped, “Delete that right now!”

“No way,” said Baekhyun, closing the photo gallery and locking the phone.

“Give me that!” ordered Chanyeol, dropping his jacket and jumping on the bed.

Baekhyun rolled over trying to hide the phone but Chanyeol got a hold of it and managed to wrestle it from his grip.

He unlocked the phone, holding Baekhyun back with his other arm. He almost let go when he saw Baekhyun’s background image. It was a selfie of Jongin smiling with little hearts drawn on it. He went to the gallery clicked a few options and threw the phone back to Baekhyun who grabbed it immediately.

“Did you delete it?” he asked quickly unlocking the phone. He gasped looking at the picture of Chanyeol’s butt that was now his background image.

“You can draw hearts on that too if you like,” said Chanyeol gruffly, he looked up to see the delighted smile Baekhyun was giving him. He climbed off the bed and picked up his dropped jacket.

“Can I take one of your front too?” Baekhyun asked happily.

“You mean my face?” asked Chanyeol, confused.

“Well that too,” Baekhyun said letting his gaze drop to stare suggestively at the front of Chanyeol’s tight jeans.

“Hey,” said Chanyeol covering his crotch area with his hands. “You can objectify me after I get off work, ok?”

“Ok,” agreed Baekhyun, he jumped off the bed and ran up to Chanyeol, slipping his arms around his neck. “Have fun at work,” he said and kissed Chanyeol softly on the mouth. Chanyeol kissed him back, gripping Baekhyun’s waist as the kiss intensified. Baekhyun pulled back gently. He bumped his bottom lip against Chanyeol’s teasingly and breathed, “You can be a little bit late for work, right?”

“Yeah,” said Chanyeol, capturing his lips again in a hard kiss and walking him back towards the bed before his brain finally caught up. “I mean, no!” he exclaimed, breaking the kiss with difficulty. “See this is why you can’t visit me at work,” he said laughing. “You’re too tempting, stay here and go through your boxes!”

He gave Baekhyun a quick hug and left the room.


	8. Friday- Part 2

Chanyeol thought about Baekhyun all day at work, while he tuned and straightened up the rows of instruments. At first, he was still slightly worried that Baekhyun would show up, every time the door jangled as it was opened, he’d look up expecting to see Baekhyun’s cheeky grin. By the end of his shift, he was almost disappointed that Baekhyun hadn’t shown up. He wondered what he had done all day at home without him. He highly doubted Baekhyun had looked through any of the boxes of his belongings. He didn’t think he was imagining Baekhyun’s reluctance to go through the boxes. He couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t want too but he decided he wouldn’t push him. He’d let him do it in his own time. He thought that Baekhyun had seemed a bit down that morning, so he decided he would buy him something yummy to eat for dinner on the way home. He dropped by the chicken place they had been to the night he met Baekhyun and picked up some chicken for dinner.

When he let himself into the house, he could hear the tv and talking coming from the living room. He dropped the chicken in the kitchen then went into the living room.

As soon as he entered Sehun stood up. “What the fuck Chanyeol?!” he exclaimed, “Do you know how long I waited for you to come back with my food last night?!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, a lot of unexpected stuff happened,” said Chanyeol wearily.

Sehun looked away and said rather loftily, “Well thank you for apologising, but I don’t think I can forgive you this time, you’ve hurt me too badly.”

“I brought chicken home for dinner, I got enough for you as well, it’s in the kitchen.”

“You’re totally forgiven!” said Sehun exuberantly as he ran out into the kitchen.

Chanyeol looked around. Minseok and Jongdae were on the couch, but Baekhyun was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asked Minseok.

“In your room, he’s been asleep most of the day.”

Chanyeol went to his bedroom and opened the door quietly. The curtains were pulled closed and the room was dark. He went over to the bedside table and turned on the lamp.

Baekhyun was curled up in bed with his eyes shut but Chanyeol didn’t think he was actually sleeping. He knew from experience that Baekhyun was an adorably messy sleeper, he slept with his hair everywhere, his mouth slightly parted and his arms flung out. He looked far too neat lying there.

“Lucky Baekhyun isn’t awake to see me standing here naked and all,” he said loudly.

“Eh?” said Baekhyun, sitting up and opening his eyes immediately. “You’re not naked!” he exclaimed angrily.

“Serves you right for pretending to be asleep.”

“I wasn’t pretending, I was just resting my eyes,” said Baekhyun primly.

Chanyeol went to sit down on the bed but there was a pile of papers and an MP3 player next to Baekhyun.

“What’s this?” he asked picking up the nearest piece of paper.

“Lyrics,” said Baekhyun, “Minseok gave them to me to memorise and your songs,” he added, pointing to the MP3 player.

“How’s that going?”

Baekhyun shrugged. “I’m tired.”

“You’ve been sleeping all day according to Minseok, have you eaten anything?”

“Yeah, he made me a sandwich,” said Baekhyun.

“That sandwich?” asked Chanyeol, pointing at the uneaten sandwich on a plate on the bedside table.

Baekhyun looked at it. “I must have fallen asleep before I could eat it,” he said.

“Well never mind, come and have some chicken before Sehun eats it all.”

Baekhyun sighed and held out his arms to Chanyeol. “Carry me?” he asked sweetly.

“No way. For someone so tiny you’re really heavy,” said Chanyeol, taking a purposeful step away from the bed.

“I’m not heavy!” exclaimed Baekhyun, sounding offended. “And I’m not tiny either!”

“I don’t know how, but you’re definitely both. My arms are still dead from carrying you last time,” said Chanyeol, rubbing his right bicep with his left hand.

“When did you carry me before?” asked Baekhyun curiously.

“When you were trashed after the show, and you were so heavy I almost dropped you on the doorstep.”

“Ok well when you get drunk, I’ll carry you,” offered Baekhyun.

Chanyeol laughed. “You’re just planning to drop me on my head so I get amnesia too and you can make up a bunch of stuff!” he exclaimed teasingly.

“I wouldn’t have to drop you…I could just bump your head on a door frame,” said Baekhyun, tilting his head and giving Chanyeol a very cheeky smile.

“Oh, I’m definitely not carrying you to the kitchen now!” said Chanyeol, but he held out a hand to Baekhyun anyway and Baekhyun clambered off the bed.

When they entered the kitchen, Sehun was already sitting at the table tucking into the fried chicken.

Chanyeol grabbed a couple of plates and he and Baekhyun sat down at the table with him.

He pulled the chicken box towards him.

“You mean, this isn’t all for me?!” Sehun asked, looking at the plates.

“No, I told you it’s for our dinner,” said Chanyeol, adding chicken to Baekhyun’s plate.

Sehun huffed and looked away. “I might have to retract my forgiveness,” he said bitterly, looking back to watch carefully how much chicken Chanyeol was taking.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Chanyeol caught Baekhyun staring at him.

“What?” he asked through a mouthful of chicken.

“I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t seen you for so long, but you look really handsome tonight,” mused Baekhyun.

“I was only gone for 6 hours,” said Chanyeol laughing.

“It felt like longer. Did you miss me?”

“Maybe? Did you miss me?”

“Endlessly,” breathed Baekhyun.

Chanyeol leant over and kissed him carefully on the lips.

“I thought about you all day,” he said in a low voice.

Sehun sighed. “You know I’m happy things are working out for you two, but you’re getting mushier by the minute and you’re putting me off my dinner!” he said pushing his plate away in disgust.

“Good, more for us,” said Chanyeol. He reached for a piece of Sehun’s chicken but Sehun smacked his hand and pulled the plate out of reach.

When they were done eating, they went into the living room.

Minseok looked up from the program he and Jongdae were watching. He took one look at Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s matching maroon t-shirts and exclaimed, “Couples shirts? Again?” nudging Jongdae to get him to look too. “I’ve got a shirt like that,” he continued looking at Baekhyun. “Wait is my shirt?”

“Yes, sorry, he didn’t have anything clean to wear,” explained Chanyeol.

“That’s ok,” said Minseok, adding, “You could have asked first,” under his breath.

“Well it was this morning and you were _busy_ at the time,” said Chanyeol, giving Minseok a meaningful look.

“What do you mean I was bus--?” He began then stopped and looked surprised and his ears slowly turned red. He whispered something to Jongdae, who just shrugged disinterestedly.

“Chanyeol, you’re such a pervert,” said Jongdae.

“Hey, I actively trying _not_ to hear! Wasn’t I, Baby?!”

“You said you listen all the time,” replied Baekhyun.

“I did not!”

“You better start practise before it gets too late or the neighbours will complain again,” observed Jongdae.

“They only complained last time because of your singing!” exclaimed Chanyeol.

“Hey, that old lady said I had the voice of an angel,” replied Jongdae, defensively.

“She said _animal_, but whatever,” muttered Chanyeol.

“How did you go memorising the lyrics?” Minseok asked Baekhyun quickly before Jongdae could respond.

“Ok, I think,” said Baekhyun vaguely.

“He should have memorised them by now, he doesn’t have anything else in that head of his except Chanyeol,” said Jongdae.

“Have you seen Chanyeol? He takes up a lot of room,” laughed Baekhyun.

They all trooped into the garage, including Jongdae who was obviously keen to watch.

Once they got the instruments set up and had discussed the order of the songs they got started. As soon as Baekhyun began singing the first song Chanyeol knew they’d made the right decision asking him to join the band. His voice was absolutely perfect for their style. Chanyeol made eye contact with Minseok who smiled broadly back at him and he knew he was thinking the same thing.

They ran through the 4 songs they had chosen for the showcase and decided to change the song order around.

“You did well,” said Chanyeol proudly, after they were done. He switched off his amp and rested his guitar on its stand.

“So, did you, Piggy,” said Baekhyun, standing on tippy toes to kiss Chanyeol.

“I’m not Piggy! You are!” exclaimed Chanyeol, slipping his arms around Baekhyun’s waist.

“Ok then I’ll be Piggy, and you can be Baby,” said Baekhyun. He kissed Chanyeol again and said, “Ok, Baby?” softly.

“Yeah, see that’s just weird because I still think of you as Baby.”

“Too bad you’re Baby now, I’m Piggy!”

“No, I’m piggy, you’re Baby.”

“Nooo, I’m Piggy.”

“Just stop! Neither of you are piggy! No one is piggy!” screamed Jongdae. “This is worse than the freaking Baby thing!”

“Would you keep it down!” yelled their neighbour suddenly from next door, loud enough to startle them into silence for a second. The lack of soundproofing in the garage had been a problem for a while now.

“I think we better go back into the house,” said Minseok quietly, herding the others towards the door.

“Maybe Jongdae is piggy?” Baekhyun whispered to Chanyeol as they went back into the living room.

Jongdae shot them a nasty look and they broke into laughter. Minseok shushed them and shut the garage door behind them. 

“Do you want to watch tv?” Chanyeol asked Baekhyun. If they wanted to watch something, he’d have to grab the remote before Jongdae got a hold of it.

“No, I want to go to bed.”

“How can you be tired you’ve been sleeping all day!”

“I didn’t say I was tired,” said Baekhyun, “I said I wanted to go to _bed._” He gave Chanyeol a meaningful look.

“Oh,” said Chanyeol. “We’re going to bed!” he said happily to the others, grabbing Baekhyun’s hand and pulling him towards the bedroom.

The second he’d shut the door Baekhyun wrapped his arms around his neck pulling his face close to his and kissing him deeply. He responded with equal enthusiasm, clutching Baekhyun’s waist as he walked him back towards the bed.

Baekhyun suddenly released Chanyeol and took him by surprise, pushing him down on his back on the bed. Chanyeol laughed and slid further up the mattress towards the pillows and Baekhyun followed eagerly straddling him and resting his hands on his chest. He looked down at him biting his lip as he breathed, “Now I’ve got you exactly where I want you.”

“For now,” replied Chanyeol, with a small gasp as Baekhyun rubbed against him. He let Baekhyun pull his t-shirt off over his head without resistance. He was enjoying the hungry way Baekhyun way was looking at him and the weight of him pressed against him.

Baekhyun leant over and kissed him passionately, his warm soft hands caressing his bare skin. He tried to pull Baekhyun’s t-shirt up but Baekhyun pulled his hands away gently.

“Uh uh,” he said playfully, “you can wait.”

“I don’t think I can,” replied Chanyeol.

Baekhyun laughed the sound quickly turning into a gasp of surprise as Chanyeol sat up suddenly and wrapping his arms around him he rolled him right onto his back.

He looked shocked for a second then he smiled coyly showing he was quite happy in this position too. He raised his knees, parting his thighs to let Chanyeol sink down even closer against him. Chanyeol kissed Baekhyun’s neck finding that same sensitive spot he had at the noraebang and teasing it with his tongue. Baekhyun shuddered against him.

To Chanyeol’s annoyance, something Jongin had said that morning kept coming back to him. He ignored it and tried to push it to the back of his mind. Baekhyun moaned his name and rubbing against him, running his hands over Chanyeol’s back.

The thought resurfaced. He concentrated on what he was doing, Baekhyun tasted so good, he let him fill his senses. He managed to push the thought away again. Baekhyun slid one of his warm hands down between them. The thought was back, he couldn’t ignore it. He just wasn’t this person.

“I can’t do this,” he said reluctantly. He sat back, still between Baekhyun’s legs and put his face in his hands so he didn’t have to see Baekhyun’s expression.

“Of course, you can! I know it’s been a while, but you can’t really have forgotten how,” exclaimed Baekhyun, he sounded exasperated but also slightly amused, like he thought he’d change Chanyeol’s mind.

“No, it’s not that! It’s just…I think Jongin was right,” said Chanyeol earnestly, he peered at Baekhyun through his fingers. Baekhyun was still laid back on the bed but his mouth was open gaping disbelievingly at him now.

“Jongin?! Why would you listen to Jongin? Listen to me! Now take off your pants,” said Baekhyun, he struggled to sit up a bit and reached for Chanyeol’s jeans zipper.

Chanyeol grabbed his hand and held it, looking Baekhyun in the eye.

“I’m serious. He said that I was taking advantage of you and I think if we do this then he’ll be right.”

Baekhyun shook his hand off in annoyance. “What are you talking about? How are you taking advantage of me? I’ve been trying to get you into bed for days!”

“That’s not the issue, I just don’t think we should mess around till you get your memory back. I don’t feel right about it.”

“Is this about Kyungsoo?” asked Baekhyun, suspiciously.

Chanyeol was taken aback.

“No, it’s really not,” he denied quickly. “C’mon, you know that I’m _so_ into you, but you don’t even know who you are!”

“Yes, I do! I’m Baekhyun!”

“What’s your family name?” he asked gently.

Baekhyun opened his mouth to answer, then paused like he was desperately trying to remember something. He screwed up his eyes in annoyance and yelled, “It’s on your damn phone! You tell me.”

Chanyeol tried to hug him, but he pushed him off roughly. He crawled into the top corner where the bed met the wall then threw Chanyeol’s t-shirt at him. It hit him in the face. Chanyeol slipped the t-shirt back over his head. He felt bad but he was also very sure he was doing the right thing.

“I’m just trying to take care of you,” he said quietly.

“I’m not an actual baby, Chanyeol. I don’t need taking care of all the time,” said Baekhyun in a tense voice, he sounded like he was speaking through gritted teeth.

“You don’t know how you’re going to feel about all this once you get your memory back,” said Chanyeol, voicing the thing which worried him most. “You only just broke up with Jongin, there’s a lot of history there.”

“I don’t care about Jongin!” said Baekhyun exasperatedly.

“Baby, you can’t even remember Jongin,” said Chanyeol. “Let’s just wait and see how you feel once you’ve got your memory back.”

Baekhyun made a strange choked gasp and suddenly exclaimed, “But I don’t want my memory back!”

Chanyeol turned towards him in surprise.

“What? Of course, you want your memory back!” exclaimed Chanyeol, utterly nonplussed. He had taken it for granted that they both had the same goal.

“I don’t!” gasped out Baekhyun, he sat up suddenly and faced a bewildered Chanyeol. “Because then you’ll drop me!”

“What are you talking about?!”

“You said you were just looking after me until I get my memory back, but I want to stay with you!” cried Baekhyun. His cheeks were pink and his eyes overbright with unshed tears.

“When did I say that?” asked Chanyeol in panicked confusion.

“You said it at Jongin’s!”

Chanyeol realised he had said something like that to Jongin but he certainly hadn’t meant to it the way Baekhyun had clearly taken it.

“Well I didn’t mean it like that!” he said, “I just meant my reason for looking after you wasn’t to try and get in your pants. Once you get your memory back, we can do whatever you like. If you want to stay that’s fine. I’d love to have you here.” He grabbed one of Baekhyun’s hands tangling his fingers with his. “But let’s just see how you feel once your memory returns, ok?” He raised their hands to his lips and kissed the back of Baekhyun’s softly. “Because you’ll still be my baby, right?”

“Yes,” said Baekhyun, pouting, but the glint in his eye told Chanyeol he was trying not to smile. “You can’t say things like that and not expect me to kiss you!” he added suddenly.

“Ok, 1 kiss,” said Chanyeol.

“4 kisses!” bargained Baekhyun.

“1 kiss!” repeated Chanyeol.

“Ok, 3 kisses!”

“Do you promise to stop all this nonsense and just concentrate on getting your memory back?” asked Chanyeol.

“Yes!”

“Ok, then 2 kisses and that’s my final offer.”

“Deal,” Baekhyun said quickly. He pulled Chanyeol into a tight hug and immediately captured his lips in a warm kiss.

It was over far too quickly, Chanyeol didn’t want to let him go

“What about the second one?” he asked, trying not to sound too eager.

“Oh, I’m saving that for later,” said Baekhyun laughingly.

They hugged for a while, till Chanyeol became concerned his resolve may not hold.

“Do you want to go watch some tv?” he asked gently releasing Baekhyun.

“No, if we go out there now, they’ll all think you can’t get it up.”

“Baekhyun!”

“You can get it up, right?” asked Baekhyun seriously.

“Trust me that will not be a problem.”

“Good, because when I get my memory back, I’m not going to be taking any more excuses.”

“I won’t be making any,” reassured Chanyeol.

“It’s been a kind of draining day, maybe we should go to sleep,” said Baekhyun, wriggling out of his jeans and dropping them on the floor.

“Yeah, we’ve got a big day tomorrow too,” agreed Chanyeol. He jumped up and turn off the light. He waited till it was off before he took off his jeans and hung them over one of Baekhyun’s boxes. He pulled on a pair of tracksuit pants and ran back over and got into bed.

Baekhyun snuggled up to him immediately as he settled down under the sheets.

“Hey, if I promise not to start anything, will you take off your shirt?” asked Baekhyun, coaxingly.

“Why?”

“I just like how you feel,” said Baekhyun earnestly.

Chanyeol considered this and smiled to himself in the dark. He wriggled out of Baekhyun’s hold and Baekhyun made a disappointed noise in the back of his throat before realising Chanyeol did it so he could pull the t-shirt off. He pulled it over his head and dropped it on the floor.

“Thank you,” breathed Baekhyun excitedly as Chanyeol lay back down. He snuggled against him and his hands immediately started exploring.

Chanyeol was just about to fall asleep when Baekhyun pinched his left nipple.

“Ow! What the hell are you doing?” he exclaimed, pulling away. His nipple throbbed unpleasantly. 

“Sorry, I forgot,” said Baekhyun. “Can you turn on the light for a second?”

“Why?” asked Chanyeol suspiciously. 

“I just want to see if your nipples are as cute as I think they are.”

“You saw them earlier!” he exclaimed.

“Only really briefly and I was distracted,” said Baekhyun.

“Well too bad, use your imagination,” said Chanyeol firmly, he rolled over, covering both nipples protectively with his hands.

“Oh, trust me, I am,” said Baekhyun, wrapping his arms around him again.

“I take it back. Stop imagining my nipples and go to sleep already!”


	9. Saturday- Part 1

Chanyeol woke up early the next morning. He had already come up with a plan for breakfast. He slid very carefully out of Baekhyun’s embrace, moving his pillow down between Baekhyun’s arms instead, so he wouldn’t notice his absence. Then he ducked quickly out of the room. He went into the kitchen and hunted around in the cupboards until he found what he was looking for. The electronic rice cooker Minseok’s mum had bought them as a housewarming present and they’d barely ever been bothered to use. It took a few more minutes to find the rice, eggs and spring onions he needed. He got to work washing the rice, cracking eggs and cutting the spring onions. He put it all in the rice cooker and added some soy sauce. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing but he couldn’t see why it wouldn’t work. After all eggs, rice, and spring onions and soy sauce all tasted good together. Besides he’d promised he’d make Baekhyun breakfast and he wanted today, especially, to go well. Once the rice cooker was on, he went back to the bedroom. He climbed back into bed and succeeded in removing the pillow and slipping back into Baekhyun’s arms without waking him. Snuggling down comfortably in Baekhyun’s embrace he drifted back to sleep within minutes.

He woke up sometime later to Baekhyun stroking his hair gently.

“Guess what?” Baekhyun asked happily.

“What?” asked Chanyeol groggily, closing his eyes and leaning into Baekhyun’s touch.

“I got my memory back!”

Chanyeol sat up quickly, suddenly feeling wide awake.

“Really?!” he exclaimed.

“Yes,” said Baekhyun, his eyes fixed earnestly on Chanyeol’s.

Baekhyun’s eyes were opened wide, he wasn’t blinking and Chanyeol thought he was looking far too innocent.

“What’s your full name?” he asked suspiciously.

Baekhyun blinked finally and his eyes shifted guiltily.

“Bum Baekhyun?” he hazarded.

Chanyeol started laughing. 

“Dammit, I should have checked your phone first!” said Baekhyun, regretfully. “Still it was worth a try.”

Chanyeol looked at the time on his phone. The rice should have been cooked for a while now, he hoped the ‘keep warm’ function on the rice cooker was still working.

“Come on let’s have breakfast,” he said, pulling back the bed covers and climbing out of bed.

Baekhyun followed and went over the Chanyeol’s wardrobe.

“Why are you wearing my clothes? Yours’s are right there!”

“But I don’t know what’s in each box, it would take forever to go through them all,” explained Baekhyun, gesturing to the not very large pile of boxes.

“I’m guessing that one,” said Chanyeol, pointing at a box on top, “labelled ‘clothes’ would a good place to start.”

Baekhyun wriggled his arms in an agitated way and whined, “I’ll look through them this morning I promise, I have to find something to wear for the concert anyway. But I’m hungry now.”

“Well let’s just go eat then, you can shower and change later.”

“Alright, I guess,” said Baekhyun. Chanyeol suspected he hadn’t given up on the idea of wearing his clothes though. Baekhyun pulled on his jeans and followed him out of the room.

“Are you excited about the showcase?” Chanyeol asked as they walked down the hall.

“More nervous than excited,” admitted Baekhyun and he sounded it too.

“Don’t be, you’ll do great and besides I’ll be up there with you,” said Chanyeol, taking his hand and glancing at him.

Baekhyun caught his eye and smiled but then mumbled, “What if I forget the lyrics?”

“Who cares?” said Chanyeol, “Just make something up. Jongdae does it all the time.”

“Ok,” said Baekhyun, and he looked a lot happier. He squeezed Chanyeol’s fingers gently and they entered the kitchen together.

Minseok and Jongdae were sitting at the kitchen table, both wearing blue and white striped couples t-shirts each with a different coloured pocket. Jongdae’s was blue with a little red heart, Minseok’s was red with a little blue heart. 

“Couples shirts!” said Baekhyun, looking back and forth between Minseok and Jongdae.

Chanyeol shook his head slowly and said, “Jongdae, you filthy, filthy hypocrite!” He was especially annoyed to see Jongdae didn’t even look ashamed.

“Hey, what Minseok wants, Minseok gets,” said Jongdae, shrugging complacently.

Minseok squeezed his arm lovingly.

“What are you eating?!” Chanyeol exclaimed, suddenly realising Jongdae and Minseok had the open rice cooker between them and bowls of what looked suspiciously like his egg rice. “Hey! That’s our breakfast!”

“There’s plenty of it,” said Minseok.

“Oh, you made this? It’s not even that bad,” conceded Jongdae, sounding surprised.

“Who else do you think made it? Fairies?!” asked Chanyeol, offended.

“Fairies would have cut up the spring onions better,” pointed out Jongdae, pulling a large piece of spring onion out of his teeth. 

Chanyeol ignored this and went over to the fridge he pulled out the rest of the fried chicken and heated it up in the microwave. He got out bowls for Baekhyun and himself and sitting down at the table, he served them some of the rice. It smelled and looked pretty damn good to him; he was feeling quite proud of himself. A few days ago, he didn’t know how to cook eggs and now he was making up recipes.

He added some heated-up chicken to the tops of their rice bowls and put the plate with the rest of the chicken on the table.

Baekhyun dug into the rice happily making suitably appreciative noises as he ate.

Sehun started to walk into the room but stopped just in the doorway as he caught sight of Minseok and Jongdae. He looked them up and down with a distinctly judgemental gaze.

“Good morning,” called Minseok, looking up from his breakfast.

“Don’t breathe in my direction!” said Sehun, covering his nose and mouth with one hand. “This couples shirts thing is clearly infectious and I definitely don’t want to catch it!”

Chanyeol laughed.

“Wouldn’t matter if you did catch it,” said Jongdae, “You don’t have anyone to wear the other shirt.”

“I might have someone,” said Sehun defensively.

“Is he coming to the show tonight?” asked Baekhyun.

“Maybe,” said Sehun but he didn’t look particularly sure. He changed the subject. “Oh, is that breakfast?” he said, going over to the rice cooker.

“Have some,” said Minseok, handing him an empty bowl.

Sehun picked up the rice spatula to start serving himself. “Did you make this?” he asked.

“No, Chanyeol did.”

Sehun dropped the spatula back into the rice cooker as if it had bitten him.

“It’s not even that bad!” exclaimed Jongdae, “Hey, I was surprised too.”

“Look the only one who needs to eat my shitty cooking and pretend it’s good is Baekhyun, the rest of you can make your own damn food,” said Chanyeol, annoyed.

“I’m not pretending!” protested Baekhyun, “It is good.” He massaged Chanyeol’s fingers gently and Chanyeol smiled at him.

“Wait…” said Sehun, his brow furrowed, “Who’s Baekhyun?” 

Everyone looked at him.

Chanyeol realised that Sehun hadn’t been there yesterday morning when they had explained to Jongdae and Minseok about finding out Baby’s real name.

Baekhyun pointed to himself by way of explanation and keep on eating.

“What?! No one tells me anything!” complained Sehun. “When did this happen?”

“The night we went to the noraebang,” said Chanyeol. He proceeded to fill Sehun in on the details, at least he tried to but after a minute Sehun cut him off with a wave of his hand.

“This is getting complicated. I’ve changed my mind. Don’t tell me things anymore. Keep me in the dark like a mushroom.”

He piled some egg rice into his bowl, then grabbed some chicken off the plate on the table and sat down to eat.

After a minute Sehun said, “So anyway, all of this means he’s not a ghost, or an alien, or a spy or anything, he’s just a normal boring person, right? That’s really disappointing.” He gave Chanyeol a look like he’d somehow let him down.

Chanyeol turned to Jongdae and said tartly, “Jongdae, Sehun requests you try to run over a less boring person next time.”

“I’ll do my best,” said Jongdae. “Wait does this mean I can borrow your van again?”

“What do you mean again?! You’ve never _borrowed_ my van; you’ve only ever _stolen_ my van before!”

“Semantics,” said Jongdae, waving Chanyeol’s comment away. “So, I can use it right?”

“No!”

“Speaking of cars,” said Minseok quickly before Jongdae could retort. “Are you going to borrow your brother’s car again to get us to the showcase?” he asked Sehun.

“No, he’s busy but my Dad said I can borrow his car instead,” replied Sehun.

“Ok, good then you can give me a ride and Baekhyun can go in the van with Chanyeol and the gear. Jongdae is going early because his band’s soundcheck is before ours.”

“Actually, I have to go into work this afternoon for a few hours, I’ll go get the car after that,” said Sehun offhandedly, taking more chicken from the plate. He looked up when Minseok didn’t reply. “I’ll get there before we have to play, I promise!” he added, seeing the look on Minseok’s face, “But I’ll probably miss set up.”

“That’s awfully convenient for you,” said Chanyeol, thinking what a pain it was to get everything set up.

“Yes, I think so too,” replied Sehun, happily.

“You can probably fit in the van with Baekhyun and me,” said Chanyeol, to Minseok.

“Alright,” said Minseok, but he didn’t look particularly thrilled at the prospect of being crammed into the back of the van with a bunch of their band equipment.

Chanyeol suggested they have another practise session. He thought having another chance to practise might make Baekhyun less concerned about the showcase. So, after they finished breakfast, they all went into the garage. They went through the songs they had picked for the showcase again and it all went smoothly. Despite what he’d said Baekhyun didn’t forget any of the lyrics and was clearly starting to enjoy himself too. Only Jongdae could find any fault with his performance.

“You were a little pitchy towards the end of that last verse,” he said.

Chanyeol was used to Baekhyun being fairly easy-going so he was surprised when he flared up immediately.

“I was not pitchy,” Baekhyun exclaimed.

“Yes, you were,” replied Jongdae, “I know pitchy when I hear it.”

“Of course, you do, I’ve heard you sing, you’d know all about being pitchy, wouldn’t you?” shot back Baekhyun huffily.

Jongdae gasped. “Are you calling _my_ singing pitchy?!”

Chanyeol quickly stepped between them. “Everyone stop saying _pitchy_,” he said, “What does that even mean?”

Jongdae opened his mouth, no doubt to give a definition, but Chanyeol interrupted him quickly, “No! I don’t want to know and why are you even here? Don’t you have your own band to annoy?”

“Hey, you should be thanking me I found you a new lead singer, not to mention someone for you to call silly little pet names and wear embarrassing shirts with,” burst out Jongdae.

“Have you looked in the mirror lately?” asked Chanyeol, pointing at Jongdae’s shirt. “And besides you didn't _find_ _him_, you almost _ran him over_,”

“I had to _find him_ before I could run him over, didn’t I?”

“Jongdae, can you please help me with this?” said Minseok, holding up a jumble of lead cords he definitely didn’t need any help with.

Jongdae hesitated.

“Now, please,” said Minseok sweetly.

Jongdae sighed and took the tangle of cords reluctantly.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun followed Sehun out of the garage and into the kitchen.

“Can you believe him?” asked Chanyeol, sinking into one of the chairs at the table and watching Sehun pour himself a glass of water from the kitchen tap. “Taking credit for finding Baekhyun?”

“You could just as easily say I found you guys,” said Baekhyun.

Chanyeol looked up. “What do you mean?”

“Well I could have walked in front of any car, but I walked in front of yours,” he said simply.

“That’s true!” said Chanyeol happily.

Baekhyun smiled but didn’t sit down at the table too, instead, he stood behind Chanyeol and gripped his shoulders.

“What are doing?” asked Chanyeol, as Baekhyun started to press into his shoulders with his fingers and palms of his hands. “Oh shit, that’s nice,” he groaned.

“I knew you were lying about not liking massages,” said Baekhyun, laughing.

He kneaded Chanyeol shoulders expertly while Chanyeol tried unsuccessfully to stifle his groans.

“Have to ever fooled around with Minseok or Sehun?” asked Baekhyun suddenly.

“What?” exclaimed Chanyeol, turning in his chair to look up at Baekhyun.

Sehun choked on his water and started laughing.

“No, we’re all just friends. Where did that come from?!” Chanyeol continued, horrified.

“Well you seem to have a thing for fooling around with your bandmates,” replied Baekhyun calmly.

“Just the singers!”

Baekhyun gasped. “You’ve fooled around with Jongdae?!”

“Excuse me?!” exclaimed Minseok, catching the tail end of the conversation as he walked in from the living room.

Chanyeol turned his head to face Minseok so quickly he almost jarred his neck. “No! Trust me, I have _never_ fooled around with Jongdae!” he insisted. 

“Wait. What did he just say about me?!” asked Jongdae, appearing behind Minseok.

Chanyeol ignored him and turned back to Baekhyun, “I meant you and Kyungsoo! Not Jongdae!”

“But we haven’t fooled around,” said Baekhyun simply, looking confused.

Chanyeol gave him a look. “We’ve kind of fooled around,” he whispered awkwardly.

“I think we have different definitions of fooling around,” said Baekhyun, “Mine would involve you actually taking off your pants.”

“Mine too,” said Sehun, raising his hand.

“Mine too,” added Jongdae.

“Yeah, mine too,” admitted Minseok, cringing.

“Jury says you haven’t fooled around,” added Sehun.

“Hold up,” exclaimed Jongdae, pointing in the direction of Chanyeol’s bedroom. “What are they always doing in there, if they’re not fooling around?!”

Chanyeol stood up abruptly.

“You’re not meant to fool around with people who have traumatic brain injuries!” he shouted, “I’m being a fucking gentleman!”

He pulled his chair back sharply and stormed out of the room.

“He’s awfully melodramatic for a gentleman,” muttered Jongdae as he went.

He went quickly down the hall into the bedroom and launched himself face-first on to the bed. He wondered if there was any point being this careful with Baekhyun if it meant he never got what he wanted, and he was teased for it too. He’d left the door open because he expected Baekhyun to follow him and he wasn’t disappointed. A few seconds later he heard he door close as Baekhyun entered the room and he felt the bed sink down slightly as he climbed onto it too. He felt Baekhyun hand rub the small of his back gently.

“I’m just trying to take care of you,” said Chanyeol, into his pillow.

“I know you are. I love that about you,” said Baekhyun softly, his mouth by Chanyeol’s ear now, “and when I get my memory back, I’m going to take _such _good care of you.”

“That sounded kind of dirty,” said Chanyeol, with a laugh. He looked up to see Baekhyun giving him a flirty smile.

“Good it was meant too!”

He laughed again and sitting up he reached out to cup Baekhyun’s smooth jaw with one hand.

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun’s eyes flutter closed expectantly as he leant in and kissed him softly on the lips. It started out gentle and slow, his hand still holding Baekhyun’s cheek, but It didn’t stay that way for long. Baekhyun pushed him down on the bed and started kissing him passionately. Moving his lips against Chanyeol’s desperately like he wanted even more. Chanyeol felt a warmth that seemed to flood his whole body.

He put a hand on Baekhyun’s chest near his shoulder, applying just enough pressure to get the message across.

“I know,” breathed Baekhyun, into his lips. “I’m stopping.”

They sat back up, straightening their clothes. Baekhyun made a soft sighing noise that Chanyeol thought described nicely how he himself was feeling. He wanted Baekhyun to hurry up and get his memory back, he didn’t want to stop, to hold back, to be the responsible one all the time.

“What do you want to do tomorrow?” he asked, “I don’t have work.”

“Maybe we could go grocery shopping and get more bacon,” suggested Baekhyun.

“Is this your way of saying you don’t want me to make rice anymore?”

“No,” said Baekhyun, laughing. “It was really good! But you’re really good at cooking bacon too.”

Chanyeol laughed too. “That was a very diplomatic answer. Sure, we can go grocery shopping, in fact, we can do anything you like.”

“Anything?” asked Baekhyun, eyeing Chanyeol suggestively.

“Not that,” he said.

“But what if I never get my memory back?” asked Baekhyun, suddenly.

“You will,” insisted Chanyeol, “The doctor said it will come back.”

“But what if It doesn’t,” he said and Chanyeol thought he looked genuinely worried.

“Alright, if you haven’t gotten your memory back in 20 years, I'll sleep with you,” said Chanyeol, trying to lighten the mood.

“Ok, I’m going to set a timer,” said Baekhyun, starting to pull his phone out of his back jeans pocket.

“What?” asked Chanyeol, watching him in confusion. 

Baekhyun looked up from his phone. “You said 20 minutes, right?”

“No, 20 years!”

“I can’t set a timer for 20 years!”

“I know.”

“20 years is too long!”

“Well, then you better hurry up and get your memory back.”

“I’m trying,” insisted Baekhyun.

“Not as far as I can tell. C’mon you said you’d look through those boxes for something to wear after breakfast and now it’s almost lunchtime!” exclaimed Chanyeol. 

Baekhyun reluctantly got off the bed and went over to the first of the boxes labelled ‘clothes’. He opened it and started pulling clothes out and looking through them.

Chanyeol came over to look too and they went through the rest of the ‘clothing’ boxes together. Chanyeol was slightly surprised to find that while half of Baekhyun’s clothes were what he expected them to be, tight jeans, fitted tops and tank tops the other half were oversized t-shirts, shorts, and track pants.

Baekhyun seemed surprised by this too because he said, “I didn’t realise I liked baggy clothes so much.”

“Suits me, I’ve just doubled my wardrobe,” said Chanyeol happily, checking the label on a t-shirt and confirming it was his preferred size.

He dug around in the clothes and found a t-shirt from his favourite brand.

“Oh, can I borrow this?” he asked. “This is from last season you can’t get these anymore, I tried to get this colour, but they were all sold out!” He held to t-shirt up to his body and looked in the mirror.

“Sure, you can wear whatever you like,” said Baekhyun. “Would this fit you?” he asked throwing something at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol caught it and looked down at what he was clutching. It appeared to be a pair of very small, very lacy panties. “No!” He held them up. “These wouldn’t even fit you!” he exclaimed. “Wait,” he said turning them over, they had too many holes to be underwear. “What the hell are these?!”

“They look like crotchless panties to me,” said Baekhyun, innocently.

“Why would you even have these?!” asked Chanyeol, dropping them on the floor.

“Well I don’t remember but I could take a guess,” he said and laughed. “What are we going to do if it turns out I’m kinkier than you?”

Chanyeol considered this. “Well,” he said, “I’ll learn.”

Baekhyun smiled, he dropped the jacket he was holding and bounded up to Chanyeol.

“Can I have my 2nd kiss now?” he asked.

“What? No, you used it earlier!” replied Chanyeol

“No, I didn’t! you kissed me earlier, that doesn’t count!”

“A kiss is a kiss, it counts,” said Chanyeol, crossing his arms.

“That’s not fair, if I knew you were going to count that then I would have stopped you because I didn’t want to use up my last kiss!”

“You would have stopped me?” said Chanyeol disbelievingly.

“I might have,” pouted Baekhyun.

Chanyeol laughed. “You practically held me down!”

Baekhyun didn’t say anything just continued to pout.

“Alright,” agreed Chanyeol, and Baekhyun brightened immediately. “You can have your last kiss again, but this is it, you are using it up.”

“Ok!”

“There will be no more kisses after this one,” warned Chanyeol.

“What about licking?”

“No!” laughed Chanyeol.

“Alright, alright, come here,” said Baekhyun, slipping his arms around Chanyeol’s neck.

Chanyeol leant in and their lips brushed lightly before Baekhyun pulled back just slightly. Chanyeol leaned in further and managed to bump Baekhyun’s bottom lip with his before Baekhyun again pulled back a little laughing softy.

“What are you doing?!” asked Chanyeol.

“It’s my last kiss, I’m making it last!”

Chanyeol sighed and pretended to pull back. Baekhyun quickly dropped his arms so he was gripping Chanyeol’s shoulders instead and drew him in for a proper kiss. Chanyeol gave in, parting his lips as he slid his arms around Baekhyun’s waist pulling him in even closer. He felt the heady mix of ardour and tenderness, that he experienced every time Baekhyun kissed him. It washed over him and he fought not to let himself get swept away with its intensity. He wished he’d agreed to the 4 kisses instead of 2, except that with every kiss it was getting harder and harder to stop.

Baekhyun released him without prompting this time. He broke the kiss gently by pulling away and resting his head against Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“I stopped on my own this time, aren’t I good?” Baekhyun said.

“You’re a perfect angel,” breathed Chanyeol. “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.”

“How about we order pizza for lunch?”

“Sounds good!”

“What type?”

“Anything you want,” replied Baekhyun, shrugging. “Wait, can you Bacon on pizza?”

“Yeah,” said Chanyeol, smiling at his enthusiasm.

“Oh, I want that!”

“Alright, you keep going through these,” he said, nudging the nearest box with his foot, “and I’ll go see what the others want.”

“If I finish choosing my outfit, can I choose one for you too?” asked Baekhyun hopefully.

Chanyeol hesitated. “Yes,” he said, “But I’m taking these with me so you can’t choose them,” he added, picking up the dropped panties and putting them in his pocket.

“If you wanted them so badly you just had to ask,” said Baekhyun, turning back to his boxes. Even though he was facing away Chanyeol could tell he was grinning cheekily. 

“I’m going to throw them on the stage when Jongdae’s band is performing tonight,” said Chanyeol, pulling the undies out of his pocket and swinging them around on his finger.

He left the room to sound of Baekhyun’s laughter and went down the hall into the living room where he found the others watching TV.

“Hey guys, we’re ordering pizza for lunch, do you want anything?”

“What’s that?” asked Minseok, pointing at the undies Chanyeol hadn’t realised he was still clutching.

“Nothing,” he said quickly stuffing them in his pocket.

“I want pizza! But can you order it quickly I have to go to work soon,” replied Sehun.

Chanyeol took their orders then ordered the pizza on his phone.

As he left the room to go back to the bedroom, he was surprised by Minseok suddenly jumping up and following him into the hall.

“I need to talk to you about Baekhyun,” Minseok said quietly closing the door of the living room behind him.

“Ok,” said Chanyeol warily.

“Don’t let him get away!”

“You sound like a kidnapper,” said Chanyeol, trying not to laugh.

“I’m serious, Chanyeol!” he said earnestly, opening his cat-shaped eyes wide. “Don’t fuck this up! When he gets his memory back, do whatever you have to do to keep him.”

“You’re just worried about losing another singer,” replied Chanyeol, turning to go.

Minseok grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“No, I’m not. Do you seriously think I couldn’t get Jongdae to quit his band and join ours if I wanted to?” he said.

“Don’t even joke about that,” hissed Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol, I’m serious. You know I was just thinking this morning about how much you seem like your old self again lately.”

“My old self?”

“Yeah, like how you were in high school, you were always happy and loud and affectionate, you know before you and Kyungie got together.”

“You’re friends with Kyungie!”

“I know I am, I’m friends with both of you, that doesn’t mean I think you were good together.”

Chanyeol was so surprised he didn’t say anything and Minseok pressed on, “You’ve seemed really happy the last few days. We both know why, so don’t let him get away.”

“Alright,” said Chanyeol. He had no intention of losing Baekhyun anyway.

Minseok smiled, then turned back to the living room door.

“Look while we’re talking about this stuff…” said Chanyeol quickly, and Minseok looked back over his shoulder at him. Chanyeol paused awkwardly but forced himself to continue, “…So about Jongdae, god knows he annoys me…_constantly_. But I also think you two are really good together.”

Minseok gave him a sunny smile.

“Thank you, I’ll tell him that,” he said.

“Don’t you dare!”

Minseok laughed and went back into the living room.

Chanyeol returned to the bedroom.

“Got your outfit?” he asked Baekhyun.

“Yep,” said Baekhyun, pointing a small pile of folded clothes on the bed. “Got yours too!” he added pointing at the clothes laid out next to the pile.

Chanyeol frowned at the clothes on the bed.

“This is just a pair of jeans and a jacket, there’s no top,” he said.

“Exactly,” said Baekhyun with a thoroughly satisfied look on his face.

“I’m not going topless on stage, Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun huffed in annoyance. “Then what’s the point of even being in a band?!” he exclaimed.

A thought suddenly hit Chanyeol and he remembered Minseok whispering to Baekhyun at the noraebang. “Is this what Minseok told you to get you to join the band? That I go shirtless on stage?!” he asked.

Baekhyun looked surprised. “No, he said, that being on stage is really exhilarating and so the sex afterward is fantastic.”

“Oh,” said Chanyeol.

“Is that not true?!” Baekhyun asked, leaning forward urgently.

“No, no. Of course, it’s true,” said Chanyeol quickly, “and also a lot more than I wanted to know about Minseok’s sex life.”

Baekhyun laughed.

Chanyeol went over to his closet to get a t-shirt out.

“Can you at least wear a tank top?” Baekhyun suggested hopefully, pulling a black tank top out of the 2nd drawer.

“Alright,” said Chanyeol begrudgingly, and he took the tank top and he threw it onto the bed.

“How long do you think the pizza will be?” Baekhyun asked.

“At least 20 minutes, I’d say.”

“Ok, I think I’ll have a shower now then,” said Baekhyun.

Chanyeol went back into the living room and joined the others watching TV.

Sehun looked up suddenly, cocking his head and listening. “Was that the pizza man knocking?” he asked quickly.

“No, it was the bathroom door shutting,” replied Chanyeol. “I only ordered it like 5 minutes ago, you’ll just have to wait.”

“I’ve got to go soon,” said Sehun, fidgeting and checking the time on his phone.

After 10 minutes he jumped up. “That was the front door!” he exclaimed.

Chanyeol pulled him back down onto the couch. “It was my bedroom door,” he said, “Would you relax, please? They’ll ring the doorbell when they get here.”

Chanyeol looked up when 5 minutes later Baekhyun strolled into the room. He was wearing his own clothes, a pair of grey shorts and a baggy white t-shirt.

“That’s what you’re wearing for the show?” asked Chanyeol in surprise.

“What?” asked Baekhyun, “No, of course not. My stage clothes are too tight to eat pizza in. I’ll change before we go.”

“You look good in your own clothes,” said Chanyeol, eying Baekhyun’s toned and shapely legs.

“I thought I’d try it out,” said Baekhyun with a smile. “I still rather wear your clothes though. They smell like you.”

“Are you saying I smell?!” asked Chanyeol, offended.

“Kind of, yeah,” said Baekhyun nodding.

“Baekhyun!”

Sehun burst out laughing.

“I’ve been saying that for years,” added Jongdae.

Chanyeol was too horrified to even bother yelling at Jongdae.

“I just meant that you smell like you, and I like it,” Baekhyun said smiling warmly. He perched on the arm of the couch next to Chanyeol and snuggled into him.

“Well that’s not so bad I guess,” said Chanyeol, slipping his arm around him, “but can you please not say ‘smell’? Can’t you say I have a scent or an aroma or something nice-sounding?” he asked.

“Eau de Chanyeol perhaps?” Sehun suggested.

The doorbell rang.

“Out of my way!” yelled Sehun, leaping up. “Pizza’s here!” He ran out of the room.

The rest of them got up and headed into the kitchen.

Sehun came in a minute later triumphantly holding 4 pizza boxes.

“Stay back,” he said, dropping the pizza boxes on the table and spreading them out. “I get to go first. I’ve really got to go soon,” he added, opening all 4 boxes he took a piece from each and stacked them on top of each other. “Don’t watch, this isn’t going to be pretty,” he said, and he walked over to the sink and turned his back on them.

Baekhyun peered around him and watched his progress interestedly until Chanyeol pulled him over to the table. “You better get some of this bacon pizza before someone eats it all,” he said, shooting Jongdae a dirty look.

“_Someone_ can hear you, you know?” said Jongdae with his mouth full of pizza.

“_Someone_ was meant to!”

“And I’m done,” announced Sehun turning around and holding up his hands with a self-satisfied air. “See you all later,” he said and walked out.

They ate contentedly after that and discussed the other bands who would also be playing at the showcase. One of Minseok’s favourite local bands were playing too. They were a 4-piece band too, except they had 2 guitarists, one of which also sang.

“Maybe Baekhyun could learn the guitar, it would be kind of cool to have two guitars, instead of one, it would give us a bigger sound,” suggested Minseok. Chanyeol was not surprised. Minseok had made this suggestion often to Kyungsoo, but he had never been interested in learning the guitar.

Chanyeol thought Baekhyun did look slightly interested, however.

“The guitar’s pretty easy, I’m sure you could pick it up,” Chanyeol said to him, “I could teach you.”

“Yeah, I know a few chords already, Jongin taught me some,” said Baekhyun offhandedly.

“Does he play? I didn’t see a guitar at his place.”

“Well, you wouldn’t have. He keeps it under the bed and the bedroom door was closed when we were there.”

Chanyeol thought Baekhyun hadn’t even realised what he had just said.

“What does the bedroom look like?” he asked casually.

“Just plain, a lot like the living room. White walls, the bed takes up most of it. The bedspread is blue and there’s this awful orange rug that doesn’t match the bedspread at all, I complained about it all the time, but he would never get…”

Chanyeol watched the realisation dawn on Baekhyun’s face as he trailed off suddenly.

“I... I remembered that?” he said uncertainly.

Chanyeol leant forward without thinking.

“What’s your full name?” he asked.

“Byun Baekhyun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the 2nd last chapter! ❤ I'll post the last one next week.


	10. Saturday- Part 2

Minseok gasped but Chanyeol barely registered the sound he was so focused on Baekhyun who looked absolutely bewildered.

“When’s your birthday?” he asked, trying to focus Baekhyun’s memory on something concrete.

“The 6th of May,” Baekhyun answered immediately.

“Tell me more about the apartment,” prompted Chanyeol gently. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Minseok trying to force Jongdae out of the room.

“But I haven’t finished my—” protested Jongdae.

Minseok cut him off in a hushed whisper, “Take it with you.” He handed Jongdae his plate before snatching up his own and pushing him out of the room. 

“The living room is always too hot. It gets the full afternoon sun, so you have to make sure to close the blinds but even then, it still gets really hot and stuffy. And the shower tap is hard to turn off, Jongin would never turn it the whole way and then it would start to drip, and sound would drive me crazy! I’d have to get out of bed to turn it off in the middle of the night,” said Baekhyun.

“What else did he do that drove you crazy?” asked Chanyeol, letting the stream of memories flow in the direction Baekhyun led.

“He never took me to the beach, though he always said he would, 10 months we dated, and we lived together for 4 and he never once took me to the beach. He always made excuses. I-I know that’s a stupid thing to be fixated on, I mean, he was cheating on me! And I’m upset he didn’t take me to the beach,” he said, shaking his head in an agitated way.

“You can be upset about whatever you like,” said Chanyeol.

“I _knew_ he was up to something too,” continued Baekhyun. “He’d been acting strangely for a while. I went to my brother’s for a week to clear my head. I came back a day early because I wanted to try and work things out.” He gave a sad, humourless laugh. “But _he_ was there.”

He sighed and looked up at Chanyeol, “Do you think he’ll take him to the beach?” he asked in a small voice.

“I don’t know, Baby.”

Baekhyun sighed again and looked down at his hands.

“I think...I think I need to call my brother,” he said after a few minutes.

“Sure,” said Chanyeol, “You can use the bedroom, I’ll stay out here.”

Baekhyun brushed Chanyeol’s hair lightly with his hand as he left the room, and Chanyeol automatically leant into the touch feeling instantly disappointed as Baekhyun’s fingers left his hair. He had thought he’d be happy when Baekhyun got his memory back but instead he felt nervous like something had changed between them.

He waited 15 minutes, sitting at the table biting his lip and trying not to think about what was going to happen now.

Minseok came back into the room.

“Where is he?” he asked, realising Baekhyun wasn’t in the kitchen.

“In my bedroom, talking to his brother,” explained Chanyeol.

“Are you ok? You looked kind of shell shocked,” asked Minseok, sitting down beside him.

“I’m fine. I’m relieved,” he lied. “It’s about time his memory came back, the doctors said it would only be a few days.”

Minseok opened his mouth to say something, but Chanyeol quickly cut in trying to change the subject. “Where’s Jongdae?”

“Gone already. He went to meet up with his band, their soundcheck is before ours,” said Minseok, he didn’t say anything else about Baekhyun, but he was still looking concernedly at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol stood up. “I’m going to go see if he’s ok,” he said and quickly left the room.

He went down the hall and even though he felt strange doing it he knocked on his bedroom door.

“Come in,” called Baekhyun from inside.

He opened the door. Baekhyun was off the phone and sitting on the edge of the bed. He stood up when Chanyeol entered. Chanyeol noticed immediately that he has already changed for the concert. He was wearing black leather pants and a red silky long sleeve shirt with a subtle print. He looked so handsome with his hair pushed back and even though his eyes looked slightly red-rimmed from emotion it suited him somehow. He didn’t think he had ever fully appreciated just how beautiful Baekhyun was before.

He stood in the doorway staring and he wished that time would stop so he could just keep looking at him forever and he wouldn’t have to think about what might happen next.

“Chanyeol, I think we need to talk,” Baekhyun said quietly.

Chanyeol felt his stomach drop, he wasn’t ready for this.

“Ok, sure, after the show though, we need to go soon and I…I need to have a shower!”

He practically ran out of the room and he went into the bathroom and shut the door then leant back against it raking his hands through his hair.

What was he going to do? Baekhyun was going to tell him he was leaving he was sure of it.

This was exactly why he’d been refusing Baekhyun’s advances, he’d been so worried that Baekhyun would feel differently once he got his memories back and now that was exactly what had happened. But all of a sudden, he was regretting being so cautious. Had he really passed up the chance to sleep with such a gorgeous boy? Someone he had more chemistry with than anyone he’d ever met? Even the knowledge that he had done the right thing by resisting Baekhyun's charms was no consolation in the moment. He wondered whether it would have helped. Whether being more intimate with him would have helped tie Baekhyun to him, made him feel more obliged to stay. But he didn't want to tie Baekhyun to him he wanted him to stay because he wanted to.

He took as much time showering as he could get away with, inwardly cursing himself for being a coward. After he’d finished, he went slowly back to the bedroom.

But Baekhyun wasn’t there, he got dressed and quickly left the room. He experienced a mounting feeling of panic as he checked the kitchen and then the living room. There was no sign of him.

“Baekhy--un,” he called, and he was surprised to hear a noticeable catch in his voice.

“We're out here,” shouted Minseok from the direction of the garage.

Chanyeol quickly headed into the garage, the roller door was partly up and Minseok and Baekhyun were already in the process of moving out the equipment to be packed into the van.

He was so relieved it took him a second to see it was drum kit parts they were moving.

“Why are we bringing the drums?” he asked.

“Sehun wants his set, in case he doesn't like the ones that are there,” explained Minseok.

“Of course, he does, because he doesn't have to move them!”

“Uh-huh,” said Minseok huffily, blowing hair out of his eyes.

“I’ll open the van,” said Chanyeol resignedly.

He went out the open garage door and unlocked the doors of the van, then started loading the equipment they’d already brought out. He took the bass drum out of Baekhyun’s hands and was surprised and a little hurt when Baekhyun immediately moved away, quickly returning to the garage.

It took a while to get all the gear loaded, Chanyeol went back into the garage to check they weren’t missing anything. Minseok was also checking, it didn’t seem like they’d forgotten anything.

“I’ll lock up and see you at the van in a minute,” offered Minseok.

“Ok,” said Chanyeol, ducking back under the garage door and returning to the van.

He looked around the front yard unable to see Baekhyun. He thought he might have gone back into the house but then he finally spotted him sitting neatly in the backseat of the van. He was surrounded by their gear, his head tilted slightly to avoid hitting the cymbal stand.

Chanyeol slid into the driver’s seat and swivelled to face him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, “Get in the front.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “Minseok’s been in the band way longer, I’d feel bad making him sit back here. Besides I’m fine.”

“You’re going to hurt your neck,” said Chanyeol, grabbing the stand and pushing it further in towards the back of the van.

“Thanks,” said Baekhyun, they made eye contact for a second, but both quickly looked away.

Minseok climbed into the van and seemed to feel the tension because he looked first at the Chanyeol then at Baekhyun in the back.

“What are you doing in the back?” he asked. “Let’s swap.”

“No, it’s fine, I’m already in here now,” said Baekhyun quickly.

Minseok gave Chanyeol an uncertain look, which Chanyeol ignored.

“Shut the door,” he said and turned on the engine.

An awkward silence fell over the clatter of the old van’s engine as they pulled out of the driveway and headed for the venue.

After 10 more silent minutes, Baekhyun asked, “Where exactly are we going?”

“It’s a big club downtown called The Palace,” explained Minseok, now he had a topic he didn’t seem to want to let it go. He told Baekhyun, at length, about the other times they’d played there and the size of the backstage area, about how they would have to unpack the van first, but it would probably be a while till their soundcheck started.

He was still talking when they pulled into the rear parking lot of the venue. He took a relieved gulp of air and said, “This is it!”

Chanyeol parked the van next to other similar vans, in the loading area to make it easier for them to unpack their equipment. The Palace was rather optimistically named there was nothing palatial about it, it was a 2-story building that had been painted black some years ago. He knew from being there before that the front was marginally grander, with the words ‘The Palace’ over the entrance in large gold lettering, but the back entrance was quite run-down and plain. It was currently busier than Chanyeol had ever seen it, with a lot of other vans and people unloading equipment and generally milling around.

Minseok got out of the van and the other’s followed. They figured out where their gear had to go and started unpacking it. Chanyeol helped Minseok with his awkward bass amp, while Baekhyun carried the snare drum. After they had put the amp down, Minseok suddenly grabbed the back of Chanyeol’s t-shirt holding him back as he watched Baekhyun leave to return to the van for more equipment.

As soon as Baekhyun had gone Minseok hissed, “You’re fucking this up! What did I tell you?!”

“What? I’m not doing anything!”

“You’re acting weird!”

“I’m not, he is! He’s barely looked at me all afternoon,” said Chanyeol, and he felt hurt all over again just putting it into words.

“He’s just got his memory back he’s probably got lots of stuff to think about. Just stop being weird, ok?”

“Ok,” said Chanyeol, but he didn’t know how to stop.

He followed Minseok back out to the van.

Once they’d brought everything in, they settled down in the large backstage waiting room to wait for their soundcheck. The room was busy with other bands also waiting and there was a hum of excitement that Chanyeol in his state of worried agitation couldn’t enjoy.

Minseok and Baekhyun sat down on the last vacant couch. It was an old black leather 2-seater and Chanyeol went to sit down but hesitated. He’d be squeezed between them if he did and he was nervous about how Baekhyun would react. He dithered awkwardly in front of the couch instead.

“Sehun better get here before we start,” said Minseok, more to himself than anyone else. 

“He will,” reassured Chanyeol.

Minseok started tapping his foot impatiently and checking his phone every few seconds. He was the unofficial leader of the band and he took on a lot of the burden of timekeeping and making sure everyone was organised. Because of this, Chanyeol was used to him being uptight to the point of snappiness before concerts. 

“Chanyeol, would you just sit down? You’re making me nervous,” said Minseok irritably.

Chanyeol sighed and sat down reluctantly. Minseok suddenly spread out, putting his legs up onto the cushions and very unsubtly nudging Chanyeol further down the couch towards Baekhyun.

Chanyeol’s arm brushed against the sleeve of Baekhyun’s shirt, and Baekhyun immediately pulled his arm in against his body and away from Chanyeol.

The gesture though small was such an obvious rejection it made Chanyeol’s blood run cold. He was reminded of those last few months with Kyungsoo, where every sign of affection was met with cool indifference. He sat very still, he could hear his own heart beating and he wondered how he wasn’t usually aware of it, it seemed so loud to him, the only thing louder was his own painful thoughts. Before he got his memories back, he wouldn’t have been able to sit anywhere near Baekhyun, _his Baekhyun_, without him touching him, caressing him, teasing him. He thought with a pang of sadness that maybe _his Baekhyun_ didn’t even exist anymore. He couldn’t sit there any longer, desperate to know what the boy next to him was thinking but terrified to be told.

He leapt up suddenly causing both Minseok and Baekhyun to flinch in surprise. “I need to go to the bathroom!” he said awkwardly.

“Thanks for the update,” said Minseok, frowning at him.

He left the room quickly. They’d played at the Palace before and he knew the labyrinthine backstage area well, he went to the nearest men’s bathroom and splashed some water on his face. He looked at himself in the dirty mirror, he looked as tense and nervous as he felt. The red hair somehow made him look paler or could that just be because he was feeling so nauseous? He stayed in the bathroom until someone else came in, then he pretended he’d been washing his hands and left.

He ran into Minseok in the corridor outside the waiting room.

“I’m going to go watch Jongdae’s band, their soundcheck is starting soon,” said Minseok, pointing off in the direction of the stage and walking away.

“Ok,” said Chanyeol, secretly relieved that Minseok wouldn’t be there to glare at him for acting weird but also nervous to be alone with Baekhyun. He looked into the room, but to his surprise, Baekhyun wasn’t there anymore. “Wait, have you seen Baekhyun?” he called after Minseok.

“I think he said he was going to the bathroom,” called back Minseok before he turned a corner out of sight.

Chanyeol hadn’t seen Baekhyun on his way to or from the bathroom, but he thought maybe Baekhyun had found a different bathroom. He didn’t know the Palace at all and might not have found the ones closest to the waiting room. He went back inside and sat down on the couch. A few minutes past, other bands came through the room and he smiled and waved and spoke to a few of them that he knew, but there was still no sign of Baekhyun. He sank back into the couch cushions a bit and picked up his phone. He unlocked the screen and started scrolling automatically before stopping in confusion, he was looking at an unfamiliar message screen. It took a second for his brain to catch up with his eyes before he realised he was holding Baekhyun’s blue phone not his purple one. The messages were from Jongin and they started yesterday morning and continued sporadically over last night, this morning and the most recent only ½ an hour ago.

Jongin:

_Do you remember me yet?_

Baekhyun:

_No_

Jongin:

_What about now?_

Baekhyun:

_No_

Jongin:

_Anything?_

Baekhyun:

_No_

Jongin:

_How about now?_

Baekhyun:

_No_

Jongin:

_Have you remembered me yet?_

Baekhyun:

_Yes_

Jongin:

_Really?_

Baekhyun:

_ Yes...let’s meet up_

Jongin:

_Where? I’ll be there!_

Baekhyun:

_ The Palace downtown at 6:30 pm_

Chanyeol glanced at the time on the phone. It was 6:35 pm. He was on his feet before he’d even finished reading, he dropped the phone on the couch and ran for the door.

The door opened before he reached it and Chanyeol staggered awkwardly to a halt to avoid running right into the shorter person who had just walked in.

Kyungsoo looked startled for a second but his expression quickly changed, and he gave Chanyeol a pleased if slightly nervous smile.

“What are you doing here?” asked Chanyeol, then found he didn’t really care. He looked out the door past Kyungsoo down the corridor, there was no sign of Baekhyun.

“I heard you’d be needing a singer tonight,” said Kyungsoo.

“What?! Where’s Baekhyun?”

“Gone, Jongin picked him up from the car park.”

Chanyeol pushed past Kyungsoo and headed for the door once more but Kyungsoo suddenly grabbed his left arm stopping him again.

“Wait, I need to talk to you!” he said urgently. “I-I want you back. I was wrong, I should never have left you.”

Chanyeol made an involuntary scoffing sound and pulled free of Kyungsoo’s grip.

Kyungsoo looked upset but didn’t try to grab his arm again. “No really!” he said, earnestly. “I regretted it the minute I left you.”

Chanyeol remembered Kyungsoo’s laughing, happy face at the noraebang before he had seen him.

“I’m sorry, I’m not interested,” said Chanyeol, he thought he would have to try to keep his voice calm and anger-less but found to his surprise he didn’t. He didn’t feel particularly angry anymore. “I’ve only realised this last week that we just weren’t any good together.”

“Not good together?” exclaimed Kyungsoo, “We were together for 2 years!”

“And you didn’t make me happy, and I certainly didn’t make you happy, Kyungsoo,” he said.

“You’re only saying this because of him!” said Kyungsoo, a flash of real anger crossing his face now.

“I’ve got to go,” said Chanyeol, turning once more for the door.

“You’re too late Chanyeol, he’s gone!” Kyungsoo called after him.

Chanyeol didn’t turn back, he didn’t reply, he ran.

If Baekhyun wanted to choose Jongin then Chanyeol knew he couldn’t change that, but he had to tell him how he felt. He wouldn’t let him walk out without a fight; he couldn’t let that happen again, not this time when he was sure Baekhyun was the one for him.

He ran down the corridor dodging surprised people before finally making it to the front door of the building. He ran out into the carpark, completely unprepared for the rain pouring down, the cold water shocked him but didn’t change his plan. He stood still for a second scanning the carpark, the cold rain soaking his hair and getting in his eyes. The sky had darkened and the lights from the cars and the streetlights cut a hazy, blur through the misty rain that made it even harder to see. He looked around frantically trying to see into cars to find Baekhyun, he had no idea what Jongin’s car even looked like. All the ones he could see looked empty, he ran down the rows of parked cars desperately checking each one, as he reached the final row there was a blue car with 2 people in it, a taller guy in driver’s seat and a shorter in the passenger.

Chanyeol ran towards the car, not caring that he was running through puddles and the water was soaking right through his shoes. The rain had drenched his clothes by now too and they felt sticky and restrictive as he ran. He reached the car and without stopping to think he opened the front passenger door, bent double with a stitch he crouched down and grabbed desperately at Baekhyun’s knee.

Baekhyun gasped in surprise at the sight of a soaked Chanyeol kneeling in the rain. His mouth made an almost comical O shape as he looked down at him.

“Chanyeol! What are y—”

“Don’t go! Choose me! I know we haven’t known each other for long but I just know that we’re meant to be together. I’ve never met anyone like you, you’re amazing Baekhyun. Please choose me!” blurted out Chanyeol desperately.

“What do you mean choose you?”

“Don’t go with Jongin, stay with me!”

“Jongin? Why would I go with Jongin?” asked Baekhyun.

He seemed so genuinely confused that it confused Chanyeol as well. He paused for a second not sure how to respond.

“Well, this is all very touching, but would you shut the damn door Chanyeol you’re getting rain in the car!” said a familiar voice.

Chanyeol looked up and saw Sehun sitting in the driver’s seat and wincing as the car door’s upholstery was getting wetter and wetter.

“My Dad’s going to kill me if that stains the fabric! This is a new car!”

“Sehun?” ejected Chanyeol in surprise, unable to form a proper thought, he managed to stammer, “What? Where’s Jongin?”

“Get in and we’ll explain!”

Chanyeol feeling numb with shock staggered to the back passenger-side door and slid in.

“What the hell is going on?!” he gasped, now he was out of the rain, he realised how wet he was. His feet squelched unpleasantly in his shoes and his clothes felt cold and clammy against his skin.

“Well I saw Baekhyun standing in the carpark when I pulled up, so I told him to get in since it was raining. We were just waiting here to see if a parking spot closer to the entrance opened up. You know I hate getting wet… and then _you,_ the wettest human alive ran up,” said Sehun.

Chanyeol felt oddly deflated, “But Jongin?” he asked weakly.

“He left already,” replied Baekhyun, he had swivelled around to look at Chanyeol in the backseat.

“But I thought,” muttered Chanyeol, “you were meeting him to get back together with him.” He slid over to the seat behind Sehun so he could see Baekhyun better.

Baekhyun looked thoroughly indignant.

“With Jongin?! Hell no! I decided to meet up with him because saying ‘fuck off’ over the phone is so much less satisfying than in person, besides I knew he wasn’t going to get the message if I didn’t hear him out,” explained Baekhyun. He opened his eyes wide like something had just occurred to him, “You didn’t?... you actually thought I was going to go with him?!”

“I- well I saw the messages on your phone, and I know now you’ve got your memory back you must be missing him,” spluttered Chanyeol, feeling stupid but also incredibly relieved.

“Missing him? Now I’ve remembered what a fucking pain in the ass he was!” exclaimed Baekhyun.

“Well, then why have you been acting so weird since you got your memory back, I thought you’d changed your mind.”

“I haven’t been acting weird, you have! You’ve been all funny and distant.”

“No, I haven’t, you have!” denied Chanyeol.

“From what I’ve seen, you’re both really weird,” said Sehun in a bored voice, he was scrolling absently through something on his phone.

“Actually,” admitted Baekhyun looking nervously at Chanyeol through his bangs, “I thought you were losing interest in me now I’ve my memory back.”

“What? Why would you think that?” exclaimed Chanyeol.

“Well you’ve been running away from me all afternoon,” explained Baekhyun, “and I thought maybe… you thought I was too clingy, and it was annoying, so I’ve been trying not to be.”

Chanyeol sighed and pressed his eyes shut for a second in relief before starting to explain.

“I was running away because I was scared you were going to tell me you were leaving, not because I’m sick of you. Honestly, I love how clingy you are, cling to me all you want!”

He leaned forward in his seat and held out his arms.

Baekhyun gave a great gasp of happiness and clambered over the centre console, reaching out his arms to Chanyeol.

“No, don’t climb over the seats!” said Sehun, huffing in annoyance when Baekhyun ignored him and succeeded in scrambling into the back.

Baekhyun climbed right onto Chanyeol’s lap, straddling his legs and kissing him repeatedly. Chanyeol wrapped his arms around him pulling his chest in against his and accepted the frenzied attack of kisses with equal desperation.

Sehun sighed loudly, “You know this is just getting more and more awkward for me.”

Chanyeol barely heard him he was so wrapped up in Baekhyun and his own wonderous joy. He could hardly believe it was real. After hours of anguish and believing he was losing Baekhyun forever, to find out Baekhyun still wanted him, had never even considered leaving him, sheer relief and happiness engulfed him completely.

When they finally broke apart, Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun’s beautiful face in amazement, somehow, he seemed to just radiate euphoria, he looked exactly how Chanyeol felt. 

“I think I'm falling in love with you,” breathed Chanyeol.

“Well fall faster so you catch up because I'm pretty sure I'm already in love with you,” replied Baekhyun.

“Pretty sure?”

“Very sure,” whispered Baekhyun, dropping another soft kiss on his ready lips.

“I think the rain is stopping,” said Sehun, he wound down the window and put his hand out tentatively.

“Now I’ve got my memory back that means there’s no more kiss embargo, right?” asked Baekhyun keenly.

“Yeah, we can do anything you like.”

“You’re probably going to regret saying that,” said Baekhyun with a cheeky grin.

“I won’t,” said Chanyeol, looking into Baekhyun’s eyes. “Trust me.”

He kissed him again and he felt a fluttering in his stomach when he thought about how there were no obstacles now, he could kiss this breathtaking boy forever.

“If you do anything in my dad's car you will regret it!” exclaimed Sehun. “Anyway the rain’s stopped and we need to go in, soundcheck is going to start soon.”

“You go in without us, we’ll be in in a minute,” said Chanyeol, lazily waving him away and squeezing Baekhyun even tighter. He kissed his way down Baekhyun’s smooth pale neck, encouraged by Baekhyun’s small gasps of pleasure.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, you clearly need to be supervised. If I return this car with any fluids on the seats, my dad is going to kill me.”

“We won’t lick the car seats,” mumbled Baekhyun, trying to keep a straight face.

“You know very well what I meant!”

“Is that Luhan I just saw walking into the building?” Chanyeol asked, without looking up from where he was now kissing the groove in one of Baekhyun’s collar bones.

Sehun perked up, peering through the passenger side window intently at the building. He clearly decided Chanyeol was lying because he stopped squinting at the building and turned to Chanyeol. “You had your face buried in Baekhyun’s neck there’s no way you could have seen him,” he said.

“I resurfaced for air,” lied Chanyeol. “He’s blond now, right?” he added, taking a guess. Last time he saw Luhan he’d mentioned wanting to go blond again.

Sehun gave him a suspicious look. “Alright, I think I better go in before Minseok freaks out,” he said. “But not because I believe you about Luhan,” he added quickly.

“Of course not.”

“You better hurry up and follow me in too. I won’t cover for you when Minseok goes on the warpath.”

As soon as Sehun was out of the car, Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol’s face with both hands and kissed him deeply again. Chanyeol thought that he would never get enough of this. After a few more pleasurable minutes of kissing, he pulled away and said reluctantly, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we have to go in now.”

“Alright,” said Baekhyun, and to Chanyeol’s surprise he opened the car door and slid out without argument.

“You took that very well,” he said suspiciously, climbing out of the car himself and shutting the door.

“Yeah, well we probably shouldn’t piss Minseok off yet,” said Baekhyun offhandedly, starting off in the direction of the building’s entrance.

“What do mean _yet_?”

Baekhyun turned back to face him, his flirty smile was firmly in place now.

“Well, he probably won’t be very pleased with us later when we ditch him right after the show. We’re not going to help pack up, we’re going to take the van and go straight home to bed and we’re going to stay there _forever_,” he said firmly.

Chanyeol laughed. “Now that’s a plan I can get on board with,” he said, and he ran to join Baekhyun.

As they crossed the carpark Baekhyun asked suddenly, “Hey, how did you know I was out here?”

“Kyungsoo told me.”

“Kyungsoo?! Is he here?!” asked Baekhyun, stopping suddenly and looking up at Chanyeol.

“Yes, apparently after Jongin and he split he decided he wanted me back and ---”

“What did you say?” interrupted Baekhyun.

“I think the fact that I'm here now…with you…soaking wet, should give you a pretty good idea what I said,” said Chanyeol laughing and holding out his arm to how wet his clothes were.

Baekhyun grabbed his damp sleeve and tugged on it. “I want to hear it,” he said. 

“Alright, I said I'm not interested. I've moved on and I made it pretty clear I was only interested in finding you.”

“Good,” said Baekhyun happily, he released his sleeve and he slipped his hand into Chanyeol’s instead. They set off walking again and Baekhyun said, “I hope Minseok is ok with this, I know he was good friends with Kyungsoo.”

“He’s fine with it, in fact, he told me this morning not to let you get away.”

“That sounds like something a kidnapper would say!”

“That’s exactly what I said!” laughed Chanyeol.

Minseok jumped up from the couch, pulling Jongdae up with him, as soon as Chanyeol and Baekhyun entered the waiting room.

“Oh, good there you are, they’ll be ready for us soon.” He said, sounding relieved. “Has anyone seen Sehun?” he asked, peering behind them down the corridor.

“He came in before us, so he must be around here somewhere,” said Chanyeol.

On the word ‘us’ Chanyeol saw Minseok’s eyes immediately find and fix on his and Baekhyun’s interlocked fingers. Minseok stared at their clasped hands for a few seconds, and Chanyeol gave Baekhyun’s fingers a gentle squeeze which he returned with an affectionate smile.

A delighted expression spread across Minseok’s face.

“What are you grinning about?” asked Jongdae, in surprise.

Minseok leant over and whispered something excitedly in Jongdae’s ear, unsubtly pointing at Chanyeol and Baekhyun with his elbow.

“Oh, I know. I saw Kyungsoo when he was here before,” said Jongdae, “I told him not to worry, next time Chanyeol lets me borrow his car I'll run over a new boyfriend for him too.”

“Run a new one over for Minseok while you’re at it,” said Chanyeol.

“So, what you’re saying is…I can borrow the van again,” said Jongdae.

“I didn’t say that!”

“There he is,” said Minseok sounding relieved.

Chanyeol turned and saw Sehun walk in. He was looking much happier than he had in the car and Chanyeol soon saw why, he had his arm around a sweet looking blond boy. Chanyeol has guessed right about the blond hair.

“Luhan came to see us play,” Sehun said unnecessarily with a very satisfied look on his face.

“Hey,” said Chanyeol nodding at Luhan, he saw his gaze curiously drift to Baekhyun beside him. “This is Baekhyun he’s our new singer,” he explained.

“And Chanyeol’s boyfriend,” added Baekhyun, waving at Luhan.

Chanyeol felt a pleasurable tingle in his chest at Baekhyun’s words. He held his bottom lip with his front teeth to keep from smiling like crazy.

“Oh, I didn’t know about any of this,” said Luhan giving Sehun as reproachful look. “How did you meet?” he asked Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

Everyone looked at Chanyeol, who not at all sure how he was going to explain this and considering whether he could just say, ‘It’s complicated’, started to say, “uh—"

Sehun interrupted, “Baekhyun is a ghost.”

“No, he’s a North Korean spy with healing powers,” exclaimed Minseok.

“He’s a century-old alien who Chanyeol fell in love with!” laughed Jongdae.

“I don’t think I get this game,” said Luhan to Sehun, smiling uncertainly.

“I’ll explain later, the truth is even weirder,” muttered Sehun, giving his waist a squeeze.

“He’s actually a manga character drawn by Chanyeol’s father who has come to life and slipped into our reality,” added Minseok excitedly.

Baekhyun held up his hands for silence. “You’re all wrong! I’m Chanyeol’s one fated true love,” he said looking up at Chanyeol with a glowing smile.

“That’s it!” said Chanyeol smiling back, “That’s the one!”

He slipped his arms around Baekhyun, pulling him close and kissed his smiling lips.

Everyone groaned.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, this is the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading and commenting I appreciate it a lot (´ ε ` )♡  
If you liked this one then, stay tuned for my next story! I’ll start posting it next week.


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